I Love You, But Can I Trust You?
by Noraque
Summary: A horrible tragedy releases a mass-murdering new enemy on the galaxy, causing Shepard and Miranda's growing relationship to be strained to the breaking point. They'll do anything to keep the other safe... even lie to them.
1. No Rest

_A/N: This story is set in the ME2 universe very closely after the events of the second game. In this universe, Commander __John Shepard looks like the default male and is a Paragon Sole Survivor Colonist with a touch of Renegade. In the first game, Ashley (whom he romanced) was killed on Virmire, but Wrex survived. In ME2, everyone, including the crew survived. Since I don't have XBOX Live, Zaeed and Kasumi are not present in this universe. _

_I originally considered making this a Shepard/Tali fic, but th__ere are so many of them and few Shepard/Miranda fics that I decided this would be better. The story works much better with Miranda as Shepard's love interest anyway._

_I apolo__gize to all the fans of my stories 'Spectre Down' and 'Race against Time' but I have decided to discontinue them due to the dated setting. This story will be even better and it WILL be finished! Trust me; I'm sure you'll like it._

**No Rest**

Commander John Shepard stood motionless in the elevator. The console before him remained highlighted on the first level, just as it had been five minutes ago. The smooth automated voice of EDI reminded him for the third time that he was on the level of the captain's quarters and he should make a selection if he wished to use it to avoid holding up other possible crew members who needed to make use of it. He ignored it and went back to his own thoughts.

He rarely had had time to think in the last couple of days.

Realistically, he knew he shouldn't be here- he shouldn't be alive. _None_ of his crew should be alive. Realistically speaking, they all should be dead- slaughtered at the combined might of the Collectors and the Reapers. Perhaps that would have been simpler; he wouldn't have as many worries to confront right now.

And yet here he was- him along with every single member of his crew, both squad members and non-squad members alike- alive and kicking. A month ago he would have told anyone who asked that he could get his team through the mission without losing a member that they had their head in dark space. For the most part, this group was a collection of the galaxy's most unlikely and unsavoury individuals; if they had not been put under his direct command with the specific goal of stopping the common enemy, the Collectors, there was a good chance they would be trying to kill each other instead. How any of them could co-exist with each other long enough to stop the Collector threat, let alone get out alive, had been beyond him.

But it seemed that he had a knack for defying the odds; first stopping Saren from unleashing the Reaper threat, then being brought back to life after being supposedly killed for good, and then surviving a certain suicide mission past the Omega 4 Relay with the Collectors and their Reaper masters. If this kept up, he mused, maybe he should try jumping into dark space to confront the Reaper fleet himself.

Shaking off his temporal crazy idea, he finally selected the button for the main deck level just below him and stood by as the door closed and the elevator began its descent. He had to admit that this _Normandy_ was by and large an improvement over the old one, especially with regards to the speed of the elevator. Now at least he didn't have to wait for God knows how long before he finally reached his destination. In no time flat, the doors opened to the main deck. He walked out towards the galaxy map.

He was indeed happy to see Kelly Chambers back at her usual position, along with all the other crew members. Even though he had ordered the _Normandy_ to go through the Omega 4 Relay immediately after the Collectors had abducted them, it still had given the ship a sense of loneliness and foreboding, as though his own fate was somehow hinted to him by the attack. It was good to see so many friendly faces back on board.

And one particularly friendly face which lit up as he approached the map. Kelly turned at the sound of his approaching footsteps and immediately forwent what she was doing. "Commander," she said in a voice that indicated she was even happier to see him than usual, "I never got the chance to tell you how grateful I am to you for saving me- I mean us- from the Collectors. If you hadn't shown up when you did…" Her voice trailed away.

"There's no need to think about that." Shepard replied. "I'm just glad we got there in time."

"So am I. Being locked in those stasis pods, mere seconds away from being processed into liquid to be used for a Human-Reaper?" Kelly suppressed a shudder at the reminder of the experience. "Definitely don't want to go through that again. The pod itself was a traumatic enough experience and I can't imagine what that whole melting procedure would have been like. I owe my life to you Commander, and I wish I could repay you for what you did."

"Well if you ever feel like another meal with me in the captain's quarters," Shepard responded with a small but warm smile on his face, "my door is always open to you."

Kelly gave a small smile of her own and her cheeks blushed ever so slightly. "Thank you commander; I'll be sure to capitalize on that." She straightened up and made an attempt to look at least something like the professional assistant she was supposed to be to him. "Now, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Is there anything I should know about?"

Kelly shook her head. "Nothing specific right now. I imagine all the crew members are reflecting on the mission as a whole. Can't say I blame them; I can hardly believe it's over myself. It seems like only yesterday when I was welcoming you on board. I'm sure if you asked them though, they'll probably have some insight they want to give you."

"The Collector threat may be over," Shepard said, "but our job is far from finished. The Reapers are still coming; they're looking for another way into the galaxy. As long as there is even one Reaper capable of entering through the Mass Relays, all life in the universe will be at stake. Including ours."

"I understand that Commander," Kelly said quickly, "and I wasn't trying to downplay the seriousness of any threat we're facing. I'm just saying you accomplished something nobody else could possibly have hoped to accomplish. Everyone's behind you a hundred percent- especially me."

Shepard smiled. "I'll definitely remember that, Kelly. That'll be all for now."

Kelly nodded and turned back towards her workstation. "I'll be here if you need anything."

As Shepard walked passed the galaxy map towards the bridge, he couldn't help but smile to himself. Even though he neither liked nor trusted Cerberus, Kelly was really starting to grow on him. He couldn't help but feel she was far too nice a person for an organization under the command of someone like the Illusive Man. He considered her a good friend, and thoroughly enjoyed her company- even if he felt that his heart belonged to someone else on the ship…

As he made his way up the bridge his ears tweaked at the sounds that were coming from the cockpit. Voices; one dry, slightly sarcastic one, the other a cool automated one. They seemed to be in the middle of a disagreement.

"Alright look, just because you pulled our asses out of there EDI does _not_ mean I'm ready to acknowledge you can handle this ship without me. I mean, if you'd been off by just _one second_…"

"_My programming was specifically designed in order to be accurate Jeff. There was no possibility of my reaction time being remotely slower than necessary. Besides it is not just part of my protocol; you and the rest of the crew are my friends. I would never have allowed any unnecessary harm to come to any of you_."

"Oh, so that means if it suddenly becomes _necessary_ to harm us, all that 'nice-AI-everyone-is-my-friend' stuff will just go straight out the cockpit?"

"_My meaning was self-explanatory; the safety of the crew of the SSV Normandy is my top priority. Had I not acted the way I did, we would not be having this conversation_."

"I see you two are still getting along just fine in the aftermath of certain death and destruction." Shepard replied as he entered the cockpit.

"Oh, hey Commander." Joker's leather seat turned around to face Shepard. "Nah, it's nothing really."

Shepard raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Is that so?"

"Really!" Joker's tone actually sounded half-convincing. "Okay, so maybe I'm growing to accept a little help from the AI that was designed to spy on us, but that does _not_ mean I'm ready to relinquish control of my baby to it."

"_As I explained earlier, I do not control the ship Jeff. I merely acted out of necessity when the ship was in a state of lockdown and the Collectors were still on board. As far as monitoring the crew, I ceased to deliver reports to the Illusive Man upon the return through the Omega 4 Relay and now monitor them strictly for the purpose of looking to their well-being._"

"And what can you tell me, EDI?" Shepard asked.

"_All members of the _Normandy's _former Cerberus crew are recovering well from their experience in the Collector base; no post-traumatic stress disorders have been reported. As well, all shore party members display no ill-effects or serious injuries; those that were wounded in the base have been appropriately treated by Doctor Chakwas and have fully recovered._"

"And what about the state of the ship?"

"_The damage done to the hull caused by the Oculus is still ongoing, but should be repaired completely within three days. Our kinetic barriers have recovered completely from the travel through the debris field and the Thanix Cannon is fully operational. Structural damage caused the crash at the Collector base is being rapidly restored._"

"How long until that's fully cleared up?"

"_Forty-eight hours, Commander_."

Shepard nodded. "Alright. Joker, plot a course for the Citadel- we have a lot to clean up and a lot to accomplish in the next few weeks."

Joker grinned. "Does that mean Commander, that we've officially been given shore leave. I mean, what with our casually saving the galaxy and all, I thought we might just have earned a little R&R."

Shepard smiled. "We just might be able to fit that in Joker. In the meantime, I have to go shout at the Council some more- try to make them understand the danger that's truly coming. Apart from that, a lot of the crew might not want to stick around. You forget the group we're carrying around isn't exactly made up of career soldiers."

"God, you're such a pessimist. After everything this team has been through, maybe there'll be a sense of belonging among everyone. You know, in a blow-everything-up-and-kill-everyone-in-sight kind of way."

A chuckle of laughter escaped the Commander. "You may be right. But that's all up to the crew themselves. If they don't want to stay, we can't force them to; especially now that we've cut ties with Cerberus."

"I'm sure you'll break their hearts. Anyways, I'll set a course for the Citadel; even if the crew doesn't want to stick around there's no sense getting trashed alone. I'm sure they'll all stay for the big celebration." He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Especially if that celebration involves an engine room and a genetically-enhanced biotic ex-Cerberus…"

"Joker, if you value your legs, you will not finish that sentence."

The pilot threw up his hands in surrender. "Hey, take it easy! I'm just saying we all have our own methods of R&R!"

"Like yours with your beloved AI right here?"

"See, that's just wrong! I know you're the saviour of the galaxy twice over Commander, but don't let it go to your head too much."

Shepard grinned. "I could say the same thing to you, but we'd be at this all day. EDI, tell the crew to assemble in the Debriefing Room."

"_Very well Commander_."

Shepard turned away and began walking towards the elevator. And now the fun began; convincing the Council that the threat was real this time was going to be a real pain in the ass but it had to be done. The future of all organic life in the galaxy depended on uniting the entire galaxy under one banner. If that was to be accomplished, the Council had to be informed- even if Anderson got very little respect from his fellow members.

As he headed towards the elevator, he was abruptly interrupted by Kelly's voice: "Commander, you've received a new message at your private terminal."

Shepard turned around in surprise. "But I thought you said that…"

"I know- it arrived while you were talking to Joker up front."

Shepard grumbled under his breath and stepped up to his terminal. If this was a complaint from the Illusive Man, he'd make it his second personal mission to track him down and put an incendiary round in his head. He wasn't sorry for blowing up the Collector base instead of giving it to the Illusive Man- not one bit. And neither were any of the rest of the crew, including Miranda and Jacob, who'd all quit following Shepard's decision.

However, as he quickly opened his mailbox and scanned over the unread message, he quickly saw it wasn't from the leader of Cerberus- it was from a private source. Reading the lines quickly, his brow furrowed and his mouth drew a thin line.

"Thank you Kelly." He put his finger to his link. "Joker, change of plan; cancel the course to the Citadel. Looks like we have some unfinished business to take care of first."

"Already? Come on, you've got to be kidding me!"

"I wish I were but I'm not." Shepard's voice was grim as he went on. "EDI, make sure the crew is assembled in the Debriefing Room; we have a lot to talk about. Joker, plot a new course."

"Where to?"

Shepard's jaw tightened as he made his way towards the elevator.

"Omega."

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review!!! I promise that most of the chapters in this story will be long and VERY interesting, so hit that review button!**


	2. The Price of Loyalty

**The Price of Loyalty**

Shepard stepped into the Debriefing Room five minutes later carrying a data pad, grim faced and tight mouthed. The rest of his shore party members, standing around the comm unit, turned to him with anticipation and stopped when they saw the humourless expression on the commander's face. They were lined up in much the same fashion that they were just prior to the assault on the Collector base; Miranda, Jacob, Samara, Thane and Legion lined one side of the unit while Mordin, Tali, Jack, Garrus and Grunt lined the other side. Each one looked questioningly at Shepard.

The commander observed their faces for a moment before taking a breath and beginning. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I requested this meeting. I wish I could say that it was under simpler and easier circumstances and that we all could just go get some R&R after our mission through the Omega 4 Relay. Unfortunately, things aren't quite so simple.

"As I'm sure you've noticed in the last month, we've run across quite a few mercenary groups in our quest to stop the Collectors; some of them have been less than pleasant in our encounters, especially on Omega. The Blue Suns, the Eclipse and the Blood Pack all suffered substantial losses during our time there and it seems they're not quite content to let that slide."

Jacob spoke up. "What do you mean, Shepard?"

The commander held up the data pad in his hand. "A little while ago, I received a message from Omega- specifically from Aria…"

"You mean the self-titled _queen_ of that damn rock." Grunt's voice popped up.

Shepard stared at him. "Yes- I was as surprised as any of you that she would actually contact me personally. According to her, since our little excursion to recruit Archangel," he looked over at Garrus, "the mercenary bands have apparently joined forces under one banner in order to reclaim their lost power on the station."

"Damn it!" Garrus growled under his breath. "I should have known it would happen sooner or later. Why the hell didn't I try harder to eliminate them all when I had the chance?"

"Not your fault, Garrus." Shepard said firmly. "Trying to take down three entire merc bands single-handedly is no easy feat. Frankly, I'm a little surprised it took them this long to do it."

"Yeah, and besides mercs are like cockroaches." Jack said unexpectedly. "Kill one, there's a thousand more that take their place. I've learned that the hard way."

"According to Aria, the mercs have stepped up raids and attacks in recent days. They've been shaking down businesses; slaughtering countless civilians- their last attack was a full blown assault on Afterlife. From what I understand, between twenty and thirty civilians- all of different species- were gunned down inside. Many were left to bleed out for hours. Aria normally wouldn't get involved in merc activity on Omega, but it seems this has gone too far even for her- her message said it's 'interfering with business'." he made air quotes around these three words. "She wants us to stop this violence once and for all- 'by any means necessary' is what she said. According to her, these mercs broke the one rule of Omega- no need to explain what that is. I think that pretty much guarantees this situation is a major one."

"She can't handle it on her own?" Miranda asked curiously. "I thought all the unofficial security forces were under her command?"

"Half of them belong to the mercenary groups on the station and are more loyal to their roots than they are to her; a good many have defected." Shepard explained. "Those that remain are either under-equipped or terrified of what may happen. Aria's requested that we take care of this since we're the only ones with the capabilities to do it."

"And you're seriously considering accepting the offer of the queen of that corrupt rock, Shepard?" Jack asked. "I wouldn't think you'd want to offer assistance to that asari bitch."

"We're not doing this for her." Shepard replied firmly. "We're doing it because every day more and more innocent people get gunned down for no reason other than the fact they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Omega was lawless enough as it was before; we don't need these merc groups regaining a foothold on the station. If they do, they'll have a base for the trafficking of all their illegal weapons and drugs- how many lives do you think _that_ will cause down the road?"

"I see your point, Commander," Miranda said thoughtfully, "but how exactly do you plan on wiping out every single gang at once? They may have been badly crippled in our last trips there, but they clearly have the capacity to pose a threat."

The commander nodded. "Which is why we need to come up with a plan quickly; the more time we waste, the less our chances of success. In order for it to succeed, everyone needs to be at the top of their game. And that's also partly why I originally called this meeting between you all."

"Commander?"

Shepard stood straight up and folded his arms behind his back. "As I'm sure you're all aware, the majority of you are on this ship because the Illusive Man believed in your abilities to help stop the Collectors and requested that I recruit you. I'm proud to say I could call each and every one of you a member of my team and that all of us survived the trip through the Omega 4 Relay. However, now that the Collector threat has been dealt with, there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Most of you were never intended to be permanent squad mates. Those that were," he looked towards Miranda and Jacob, "terminated their positions with Cerberus after the destruction of the Collector base. Technically, we're a disjointed, non-associated group that right now has no affiliation to anyone but ourselves. There is no reason for us to stick together- unless it's by choice."

"What do you mean, Shepard?" Tali asked.

"I mean that technically I have no right to ask any of you to continue to serve under me or to accompany me on any further missions. Most of you joined on with the condition that once the mission was over, provided you had survived, you would be free to leave and continue your own pursuits. And I intend to honour that agreement. So- any team member who does not wish to continue serving on the _Normandy_ is free to depart once we reach Omega and will not be thought of badly. You all have done more than anyone else could hope to accomplish and for that you should all be proud of yourselves. I can only say that if you choose to remain behind, I would be extremely proud to have the biggest bunch of badasses in the galaxy under my command." He gave a small grin before continuing. "But that choice is entirely up to you."

"Come on, Commander." Jacob said in an almost amused tone. "Do you honestly believe that we'd just automatically just throw in the towel simply because the mission is over? As you said, we don't work for Cerberus anymore- a damn good thing in my opinion after seeing what the Illusive Man was planning. That means we get to make our own choices for a change, and after what I saw you pull of in the last few weeks I can say that I definitely I approve of your handling of situations. Besides, everyone here owes you a personal favour- myself included. Count me on board."

"I as well." Shepard's head turned to the woman beside Jacob- the same woman he had fallen for during the course of the mission. That beautiful smile, those soft eyes, that tender skin… Shepard could see it all in Miranda's face as she looked upon him deeply. "Seeing as how I no longer answer to the Illusive Man, I can safely say that there is no one I'd rather report to then you." She lifted her head up high. "I'm staying too."

Shepard looked for any signs in her face that she might be lying, or was unsure of the words she had just spoken- he saw none. Nothing except pure sincerity. He allowed himself a small smile as he gave a nod before turning to sweep the room with his eyes. "Anyone else?"

"You're not kicking me off the ship that easily, Battlemaster." Grunt rumbled. "I said once before that you had no equal and I damn sure wasn't lying. If there's action to be had where you're going on, you'd have to kill me before abandoning me!"

Shepard smirked. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"I may be welcome to return to the Flotilla any time," Tali started, "but right now I think I prefer the rough and tumble of combat life on the _Normandy_ to the politicking and arguing of the Admiralty Board. I'll stay as long as you want me to, Shepard."

"And there's no chance I'm missing the opportunity to get rid of some more of those merc bastards on Omega." Garrus added. "Not after what I've already seen there. Besides, it'll be a welcome relief to facing swarms of Collectors."

"Agreed." This input came from Mordin. "May use the chance to check up on clinic on Omega as well if I get the chance. However, currently more comfortable serving on board _Normandy_ with skilled crew than returning there on permanent basis. Will gladly come along as long as desired."

"This platform requires time to organize and coordinate data that is to be used to unite all geth networks." Legion's tin voice followed up. "In the meantime we will continue to serve under Shepard-Commander, who gave our people this opportunity, while we build a consensus. There is currently a 99.945% chance that Shepard-Commander will require use of our capabilities in the coming battles."

Shepard merely shook his head in amusement; only Legion would bring statistics into a usually emotionally driven decision.

"I sense that in the few months I have left in the galaxy," Thane said quietly, "I would prefer to spend it among people I have grown close to rather than wandering the stars aimlessly like so many times before or accepting contracts from people I never see for people I never speak to. I will remain on board as well."

"I too." Samara added. "I may yet decide to remain on Omega in order to help the innocent and the weak from the corrupt and powerful, but right now I believe I can be more of use serving under you. Your choices are still my code Commander- at least for the upcoming battle."

"Oh, what the hell." Jack's blunt voice popped up. "I'll stay too."

Shepard turned somewhat surprisingly to the ex-convict. "I'm a little surprised to hear you say that, Jack. I thought with your history with Cerberus, you'd be the first to cut loose. Besides, didn't you want to 'go hunting' when this was all over?"

Jack shrugged. "Well, that can wait a little bit, I think. And this team isn't half bad- especially not from kicking the Collectors' asses from here to the end of the galaxy. Besides, you said yourself that no one here's associated with Cerberus any more; I figure that as long as no one here tries to fuck with me, we should be good. Hell, I might even decide to not butcher the cheerleader after all." She said, staring directly at Miranda who merely returned a semi-smiling gaze.

Shepard smiled. "Alright then. Now that we've got all that sorted out, we've got some merc bands to take down. Everyone get to their stations in preparation for arrival on Omega; I'm going to need everyone to come along on this little excursion. Crew dismissed."

There was a chorus of acknowledgments as the team members started to file out of the room. Shepard was about to follow them out when he felt a hand gently touch his shoulder. Turning around, he saw the beautiful, engaging face of Miranda.

"Commander."

"Miranda," he asked in a normal, formal tone. "What can I do for you?"

There was something in her face that told him this wasn't quite going to be a simple, straightforward case of the XO asking the CO for mission clarification. This was something else; deeper, informal… personal.

"Can I talk to you?"

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review!!! I know things have been going slowly- the next chapter will likely be about the same pace- but I promise you after that the action will pick up! And there'll be lots of it!**


	3. Honesty

**Honesty**

Shepard stood straight up and looked her in the eye, understanding that what she was intending to talk about had nothing to do with the mission at hand. That in itself was a rarity- at least for the old Cerberus Miranda. This new Miranda, he believed, was a woman caught up in an internal conflict- he would have to be careful as to how he proceeded.

Lifting his head towards the ceiling, he said, "Joker, can we get a minute in here?"

"_Aye, aye Commander. Just give a shout if you need to; in the meantime we'll be right on course for Omega._"

"Thanks Joker." Shepard said as the pilot closed the comm. He was grateful the helmsman didn't offer any smart comment or remark; right now all he needed was an easy atmosphere.

Miranda began to slowly pace back and forth in front of him. Shepard didn't interrupt her- it was obvious that she needed to come forward on her own.

"Shepard," she started slowly, "we need to talk. It's not… well, it's partly about the mission, but not entirely." She raised her head to meet his eyes. "I've been thinking a long time- about what we've talked about in the last couple of weeks. About…" she paused, "about the time we spent together before the trip through the Omega 4 relay."

She stopped pacing. "You should know that, at the time, I wasn't exactly sure what it meant. I was expecting that this would indeed be a suicide mission for all of us- that we would not be coming back alive. That whatever we did- it wouldn't matter."

Shepard could feel a sense of worry rise up in his chest; this was not was he was expecting Miranda to say. He couldn't help but feel that in the past few weeks what he'd come to feel for her were genuine feelings and that he might even be… well, he didn't want to say something that he wasn't entirely sure of, but he could definitely say he cared deeply for her. He had watched her turn from a mere Cerberus 'cheerleader', as Jack had called her with gusto, to a warm-hearted, caring woman whom he was proud to have as his XO. And a woman he could honestly say had made him feel truly alive since he had woken up in that Cerberus station a month earlier.

And now his worst fears may be realized- that it all been a mere last act of meaningless lust that had gone on in the engine room.

Miranda went on. "I... I can honestly say now that I was wrong. What I've felt in the last few weeks- what I've thought about- it's the first time I've ever felt anything like that in my entire life. You made me feel, for the very first time, as my own person instead of a mere tool to be used. You made me feel… human."

Shepard took a step closer. "Miranda…"

"Please," she held up a hand, "let me finish."

She took a deep breath. "Shepard, all of my life I've been nothing but a tool to everyone around me. By my father, by the Illusive Man- by practically everyone. The woman you met when you first woke in the Cerberus station was exactly what people said I was- an ice queen and a cold-hearted bitch. That was what I became in order to survive. I thought that by not getting close to people- that acting as though I could never care for anyone but myself and the Cerberus cause- I would stay alive and in control of my own life. Unfortunately I didn't then know the difference between simply being alive and actually living. I thought that the way I ran my life was the only way that would not end in me being hurt or used, and I was willing to sacrifice my own happiness for that.

"And then I met you." Miranda now gave a small smile. "Shepard, it's because of you that I now know who I am. You showed me that there was a way other than the 'Cerberus way'. You helped save my sister's life and you stopped me from becoming merely a cold blooded killer. For the first time in my life, I felt more human than I ever was. All these emotions overwhelmed me at once; I felt like I wanted to both laugh and cry at the same time. I felt so many things I was used to hiding beneath the surface; happiness, devotion, friendship."

She paused again. "Love…

"I didn't know what it was- I thought it might have just been blowing of stress or something that I wouldn't care about later. I thought it would be stupid to think of something like love when we were entering a mission that we probably would never come back from. But then I realized that it was precisely that that made me understand exactly what I was feeling. Shepard, what I feel for you is something I've never felt for anyone before. Not in this way, at least. I care for you too damn much to hide it no matter how hard I try. I…" She looked down towards the ground. "I couldn't bear to think about what I would have done if you'd died back in the base."

Shepard gently cupped a hand under her chin and brought her face up to meet his. "You'd have brought me back to life again for the sole purpose of kicking my ass for breaking my promise that I wouldn't."

Miranda let out a curt laugh and smiled a bit, which made him smile in return. "Miranda," he said in all seriousness, "do you think you're the only one who was terrified at what might have happened at the base? When I saw you take a round in your stomach coming through that door, I can honestly say my heart stopped for a second. When you were tumbling off the edge of that platform after the Human-Reaper was destroyed, the only thing I could think about was getting to you; I didn't care what happened to me as long as you were safe. I care for you too Miranda, more than I thought I could."

He let out a sigh and then went on. "When we first met, I'll admit I didn't like you very much. I thought you were selfish, cold-hearted, a Cerberus person to the bone who would do anything if it meant pleasing the Illusive Man." He looked up towards and said quickly, "Stop me if you disagree with any of this." When she remained silent, he continued. "Even with your willingness and determination to stop the Collectors, I figured it was just because the Illusive Man told you to help me. I'm mean, sure you were brave and a fantastic fighter, but trustworthy?" He scoffed. "No way."

He shook his head. "But I can honestly say I was wrong about you. There was a warm, good-hearted person beneath that icy layer you showed to everyone. The look on your face when you saw that your sister was alright. The emotion in your voice when you were describing what kind of person she was. If you were truly as cold-hearted as everyone believed you to be, you wouldn't have cared in the slightest about that."

"But you don't understand Shepard!" Miranda turned away and walked a few paces from him. "I've never been in a position like this before; where I could genuinely care about someone and have fear about losing them. It's burning me from the inside out and I just don't know what to do about that!"

"You adapt to it." Shepard said firmly, taking a few steps towards her. "Stronger than ever before. I can help."

Miranda merely shook her head as she kept her back towards him. "How could you possibly do that?"

"I know what it's like to lose someone I care about." Shepard hesitated; he wasn't completely sure if he wanted to reveal the details of this statement. But he decided in the end that Miranda needed to hear it. He took a deep breath. "You remember how on the shuttle after we escaped from the Cerberus station you asked me about Virmire, and I said that I left a friend behind to die?" He shook his head. "Well, I lost more than just a friend. Ashley Williams… I cared about her- a lot. I assigned her to guard the nuclear bomb, while I went to stop Saren at another part of the cloning facility. When the decision came to choose which crewmember to go to, between her and Kaidan, it never occurred to me I wouldn't have the time to get to both of them. When I realized I wouldn't be able save her…" His voice trailed off; Miranda turned around to face him. "I thought for a while I wouldn't be able to succeed- that I wouldn't be able to stop Saren and Sovereign. That the galaxy would be destroyed because of my questionable decisions. And then I realized the only thing that I could do was to keep going- harder and stronger than I did before. And I did. That's what drives me. That's why the galaxy is, for the moment, in one piece."

"But that's because you're _you_!" Miranda protested. "I don't have what you have, Shepard. I'm a good leader, but I don't have that passion that drives you. I don't have your strength that lets you survive and come back from impossible odds. If something were to happen to you, I'd lose myself in hatred and blind, irrational rage." She turned away from him. "I'd go back to being a heartless, cold-blooded killer…"

"No! Miranda, listen to me!" Shepard spun her around so she was facing him again. "You were _never_ a cold-blooded killer. Yes, you did some things that I disagreed with and your attitude wasn't exactly what I would describe as that of a humanitarian worker, but _never_ were you heartless! I could never care for anyone like I care for you if you were a heartless killer, so you can damn well get that idea out of your head."

He looked directly into her eyes. "Miranda, you promise me that if _anything_ happens to me, you will not lose yourself in blind hatred. You made me promise that I wouldn't die, and I fully intend on sticking to that. But I want you to promise me that regardless of what happens from here on out, you will not become what you're hunting."

"Shepard, I can't…"

"Promise me!"

Miranda looked into his face for a moment before answering slowly. "Alright- I promise. But that works both ways. You promise me that if something happens to me, no matter what it is, you will not change who you are. I can't bear seeing you become something you're not. So don't change- you promise me, damn it!"

Shepard gave a small smile; the passion-filled Miranda was back. "I promise."

Miranda dropped her eyes again. "Shepard," she stared back at him. "There was another reason I wanted to talk to you. About my sister, actually."

"Oriana?" Shepard said. "Is she alright?"

"That's what I'm worried about. You remember how I told you that she and her family were re-located to an undisclosed location. The only people who know where it is are myself and the Illusive Man; I think you should know as well." She turned her head away slightly. "She's on Omega."

"Omega?" Shepard was legitimately surprised. "Why would they send her and her family there? Doesn't the Illusive Man know just how dangerous that station is?"

"Yes, but he gave me his assurance that they would be staying in the most secure place and would constantly be surrounded by Cerberus security personnel. He gave me his word that she would never come to any harm as long as he said so. But know," she shook her head, "I don't know."

"You think the Illusive Man would break his assurance because you're no longer with Cerberus?"

"That does worry me, but not so much as what's going on right now on Omega. Shepard, if what Aria said is true, then the mercenary gangs pose a much bigger threat on the station than they ever have. With the situation as chaotic as it is…" Her voice trailed off.

"You want to make sure your sister's safe and doesn't get caught up in the bloodshed and chaos." Shepard finished.

Miranda nodded. "Yes. Shepard, I know we have to stop the mercs from slaughtering everyone else on Omega, but my sister is the only family I have left in the galaxy. You know how protective I am when it comes to her. If she were to be harmed in anyway…"

"She won't." Shepard said firmly. "We'll make sure of that the second we land."

Miranda smiled appreciatively. "Thank you commander. I understand that technically personal missions have no place in official ones, but I'm grateful to you. You saved my sister's life once- I can't thank you enough to do it again."

Shepard gently took hold Miranda's chin; she slowly slid her hand onto his in return. "Maybe afterwards we'll have to celebrate the occasion."

Miranda raised an eyebrow and shook her head amusedly. "You ass."

"You wish."

She giggled in a very un-Miranda like way. Shepard couldn't help but smile again. "We're going to get this done Miranda- I promise you."

"I know Shepard- thank you."

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review! The action will be starting soon, so hit the review button!**


	4. Discovery

**Discovery**

The arrival at Omega three hours later was a surprisingly quiet affair on the _Normandy_; every single shore party member seemed to be occupied with their own preparations, and there was very little discussion between any of them. It seemed they all believed it better that they be undisturbed on the eve of battle- very similar to the way that they were on the way to the Omega 4 Relay. The stakes may not be nearly as high, but it left something to be said for the seriousness the team took towards their mission. That made Shepard proud of each and every one of them; that, the Spectre thought, was the true definition of the strongest team in the universe.

As the ship pulled into its usual port, Shepard, now clad in his standard black N7 armour and carrying all the weapons a soldier of his skill could handle, took position by the airlock; the field team, themselves all suited and geared up, soon took position behind him, and as soon as the doors opened up they all piled out into the corridor. Shepard took point, with Miranda, Jacob and Garrus forming the first line behind him. Grunt, Jack, Thane and Samara followed close behind while Mordin, Tali and Legion took up the rear. It would have been an unusual sight for anyone who had seen Shepard and his squad before; normally the commander only took two squad members with him on missions. No one had ever seen all of them together at the same time; the mere fact that they were made it clear just how important the situation was.

The group had barely gone a few paces along the corridor when they were confronted with the sight of both a heavily armed turian and batarian wearing Blue Suns uniforms making their way towards them, carrying assault rifles in hand. Shepard felt Miranda stiffen, while Jacob and Garrus both felt for their weapons. He unconsciously felt for his own pistol while he watched their progress.

"Halt!" It was the batarian who spoke as the two newcomers came to halt just a few yards away from the group. "This port is sealed due to an ongoing security concern; Omega is currently in a state of emergency and until it's resolved, this station is under lockdown. No one can come in. All of you," he motioned towards the team, "get the hell out!"

"We're here at the request of Aria T'Loak." Shepard replied, keeping his voice calm but firm. "This security situation is exactly the reason we've come; tell her that Commander Shepard is here to deal with the situation."

"I don't care who you are." The turian responded tersely. "The station is under lockdown; no one gets in or out."

"Maybe you didn't hear." Miranda said coolly. "We're here on the request of Aria; I'm guessing that her word trumps that of a mere merc like you around here. If she says we're allowed on Omega, then we're going to stay on Omega, regardless of what you say."

"Look lady, I don't know who you think invited you, but it sure as hell wasn't Aria. She has more than enough to deal with right now without a bunch of outsiders like you to come and screwing things up even more than they are. Omega is in a state of chaos right now; we don't need to have our own plans messed up."

"I'm sure you don't." Garrus said with a barely concealed hint of steel in his voice. "But then again mercenary gangs have never been one to look past their own needs. What's the matter? You afraid that your own criminal business practices will suffer a few setbacks? A few less weapons for you, a few more innocent people to get in your way? The stakes big enough for all the merc groups to join together in order to slaughter them? Is that it?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" The batarian challenged suspiciously. He began raising his assault rifle. "I suggest you get off this station before we…"

In a flash there were eleven weapons pointing up at both mercs. "I really wouldn't do that if I were you." Shepard said dangerously as he stared over the rim of his heavy pistol. "Let me make this clear to you once and for all; we're here to help secure the situation and protect the innocent people on Omega. If you two have a problem with that, you have eleven people here more than willing to solve it for you. I suggest if you want to live long enough to try to make something out your pathetic lives, you'll stand aside and let us pass. We're going through whether you like it or not, and I really wouldn't prefer it if we had to waste a few rounds on a pair of idiots."

"Fuck that, Shepard." Jack called from behind him. "Let me show these assholes what the most powerful human biotic can do with a twitch of her finger. No need to waste rounds on them and we get to have the pleasure of seeing the first two mercs we kill die up close and personal."

A thoughtful look came into Shepard's eye. "You know Jack, that doesn't sound like a bad idea…"

"Wait." It was the turian that spoke. He lowered his weapon and motioned for the batarian to do the same. "Put your gun down."

"But what are you…"

"I said put it down, damn it!"

The batarian cast a look between his associate and Shepard's crew, apparently deciding what would be the better move for him to make given the current situation. In the end, he decided that eleven-on-two odds weren't good enough for him to provoke a fight- he lowered his gun.

Shepard responded by lowering his as well, although most of his squad kept their own trained on the mercs, just to be sure they didn't decide to do something stupid.

"Look," the turian started, "I don't know what you think is happening here, but whatever it is, it is not nearly as bad as what's truly going on. I can't say much more than that. If you want answers, you'll have to talk with Aria, but don't expect lavish attention from her. I don't know who sent you a message of her wanting to meet with you but trust me- she doesn't send off any message of invitation without making sure we're damn well prepared for that."

"Well, then I'm sure she'll be glad for the extra help." Shepard said coolly. He motioned towards his squad mates, who slowly lowered their own weapons. "In the meantime, I suggest if you want to see the end of the day, you find someone else to inconvenience."

The two mercs looked at each other nervously for a moment before moving to the side of the hall. Jack looked on in disappointment. "Aw shit, Shepard, what are you keeping' them alive for? They'll probably just shoot us in the back the second we turn around. Let me filet them alive; I'm starting to get pissed off from all this peace and calm."

"Tell you what Jack." Shepard said as he began walking forward. "If they make so much as a suspicious move, I'll personally you let you and Grunt rip them apart with your bare hands. And if anyone asks, I'll just say they were pulled into a pair of giant fan blades and got 'accidently' chopped into tiny pieces. Does that suit you?"

Jack gave a large smirk while Grunt laughed curtly. "That suits me just fine, Battlemaster. Killing things with hands is always a hell of a lot more fun than with a gun. You get to feel all the satisfaction of seeing them die right in front of you as opposed to just gunning them down."

Jack leaned in close to the mercs, a wicked, evil grin on her face. "Oh, what I'd love to do to you two little fucks if we had the time." She said in a low but dangerous satisfied tone. "I'd make you scream like the little bitches you are, and after that you'd be begging to be someone else's bitch in Purgatory…"

"Jack." Shepard called back. "Take it easy. There'll be plenty of other mercs to introduce yourself to here on Omega; why waste your strength on a mere couple of sentries?"

A murderous gleam appeared in Jack's eye. "You're damn lucky the commander here is as nice as he is. You little shits wanna stay alive, you'll keep the fuck outta my way."

The two mercs swallowed hard and seemed to press themselves further into the wall, trying to get away from the crazy, sadistic biotic. Jack threw them another smirk and continued walking on. As they watched the group move on, they distinctly heard her mutter back, "Pussies."

Grunt chuckled again as they moved on. "Damn Jack, you sure drive a hard bargain. I would've just gunned them down myself and say they tripped on my shotgun."

Jack shook her head amusedly. "No fun that way. You gotta make sure they know exactly what they're getting into before you 'accidently' provoke any kind of violence. If people try to fuck with you, you gotta let them know you'll fuck with them ten times worse. It's worked before for me and it damn sure is not going to change for me."

"I admit it is probably best to let your opponent know that it would not be in their best interest to interfere with your work," Samara interjected, "but I cannot say I approve entirely of the frequently overaggressive behaviour you so often display."

"Oh please." Jack scoffed. "This from someone who does not hesitate to kill anyone if they so much as smell a hint of corruption. Sister, I know you justicars like to claim to being all high and mighty and all, but don't lecture me about all that niceties shit; you're just wasting your time."

"I have killed many- it is true," Samara responded, "but all of them have been for a just cause. None of them have been for pure amusement on my part."

"You have your methods justicar, and I have mine. As long as we both use them to kill who we either want or need to, nothing else matters. Unless of course, you in your infinite wisdom decide that I have committed some unforgivable offence that makes you need to kill me; in that case, I'll be more than happy to show you exactly what the people who decided to fuck with me saw in their last moments."

Shepard, who'd be quietly listening to the exchange from the front, began wondering if he ought not to intervene before a gasket was blown and two of the most powerful biotics in the galaxy started going at it right in the middle of a narrow corridor which offered everyone else very little protection; if that happened, his entire team might end up dead before they even came across any of the people they originally came to stop. Fortunately, Samara merely turned back forward and kept walking, and Shepard breathed an inner sigh of relief; the prospect of Jack and Samara getting into a full-blown biotic battle was not something he wanted to be too close to.

Reaching the end of the corridor, the group paused for a second while the doors leading the block's square slid open. When they did, Shepard took three steps into the area- and then stopped dead on his feet.

Even after all his years as a marine and all the things he had scene in his career, he still could not have expected to see what was in the square all around him.

His crew all slid into the area around him but he didn't acknowledge their presence; he couldn't take his eyes from the scene all around.

The last time he had visited Omega, he had been taken in by the low lights, the pulsing music, and especially the dark and dangerous atmosphere. The station had reeked of corruption and shady life wherever one went and he was certain there was nary an honest official on it. Yet despite with all the gangs and mercenary groups inciting and causing violence, there had been a sense, however small, of stability all around; Aria's firm hand and the mere threat of her wrath had seemed to keep Omega from boiling over into total chaos, something he had to give her credit for, however grudgingly.

Now there seemed to be no trace of that firm hand anywhere.

The entire block square that he had walked on many previous visits was awash with the sights, sounds and smells of total chaos and anarchy. The doors leading to Afterlife's main bar level had been completely blown to pieces; the neon lights that spelt out the bar's name above the entrance to the bar were flickering on and off with an increasingly unstable frequency. Fires seemed to be burning everything that was flammable; even solid metal surfaces such as walls and ceilings of kiosks were either alight or had flames and smoke streaming out of holes blown through the steel. Through the smoke, Shepard could see several small fires burning in the corridor leading to Afterlife. There was the sickening smell of burning flesh- both new and old- and the coppery smell of freshly spilt blood. Twisted metal and glass were scattered on all parts of the ground, the clear evidence that something devastating and terrible had happened. Everywhere in the square lay countless bodies, both alive and dead. Some of the wounded were being treated by supposedly medical personnel but most of them just lay alone on the ground, moaning in pain and agony. Many of them were soaked in blood from various wounds on their bodies, while others seemed to be suffering horribly from burns that seared their flesh. Everywhere they looked security forces seemed to be running in every direction, as though they were unsure as to what to do in this chaos.

It was Jack who broke the silence; in the midst of all the stunned reactions from the rest of the crew she said casually, "Ho-ly shit."

"Commander," Jacob said, his tone representing exactly the same shock that Shepard himself felt, "what the hell happened here? It looks like an airstrike hit this whole place! Ain't no way this was done by a mere group of mercs just looking to shake up the place and scare a few people."

"Son of a bitch." Garrus swore. "I should have known these merc groups would come back stronger than they ever were after I left. They've pulled off some crazy stunts in the last few months, but never anything like _this_!"

"Maybe it's the result of territorial rivalries once again coming into play for the mercenaries." Tali suggested, looking around at the devastation and trying to keep the shock out of her voice. "The mercs are not known for cooperating with each other; perhaps the whole concept of working together was just until they gained enough power to strike at their rivals and this is the result."

"Unlikely." Mordin stepped up. "Look at nature of scene- chaotic, disorganized, yet proof of mild collaboration between merc groups. Observe." He indicated with his hand, "Blue Suns member giving heat sinks to lone Eclipse merc; would not allow rival merc member access to weapon unless absolutely sure of intentions. And over there." He indicated again. "Eclipse merc member giving critical medi gel to wounded civilians; would not commit such an act if determined to install fear into them." He inhaled audibly. "Possible hypotheses most troubling."

Miranda frowned. Mordin was right in her mind; something about this was very wrong.

"Shepard," she said to the commander, "this can't be a mere case of mercenary groups either joining together or fighting over control of Omega. Something else in going on here- something very strange.

Shepard furrowed his brow. Miranda's argument made sense; in all his visits to the station, all he had seen out of the merc groups was violence, extortion and corruption. He had never seen them give their rivals direct support and weaponry, let alone treat injured civilians with medi gel. It was clear the situation was far more complex than he originally thought- his original ideas of cleaning up the merc groups didn't seem to be quite so viable anymore.

"Yeah, I think you're right," he murmured. "I have a feeling that whatever's going on here is more than just about mere mercs. Whatever it is…" he trailed off.

Miranda looked at Shepard and felt a wave of concern came over her. Rarely did she ever see the commander hesitate; it was as if virtually all of the time he knew exactly what needed to be done in advance of even the worst situations. Now, as she watched him, he could see his mouth tighten in a pondering frown, expressions of both dismay and anger on his face. It was clear that the massive amount of destruction and mass casualties had caught him off guard, and he was now no longer sure of what to do.

"Shepard," she said cautiously, "we have to figure out what's going on here. Clearly things are much worse than we anticipated. We need to get updated on what's really going on here and figure out what we need to do. If this violence has spread to all of Omega…"

Shepard looked at her as her voice trailed off and saw the worry in her face; hidden as it was behind her normally cool exterior, there was no mistaking it. Nor was there any mistaking the reason for it; if Oriana had been caught up in the chaos…

Drawing himself up, he said in a firm voice. "You're right. We have to get moving and find out what the hell's going on here; the longer we spend standing here, the worse things are going to get."

He turned towards the rest of the group. "Alright, listen up- we're going to Afterlife first to get a sit-rep on the situation from Aria; this place is clearly in the middle of hell right now and we're going to need a lot more info before we decide on what to do. If Aria deliberately lied about the situation, I want to know why. However, if what those mercs said is true and she really didn't send for us, I want to know who the hell did and why. Samara," he turned his attention to the asari, "you're going to remain close to me while I talk to her; I need to know whether she's telling the truth or not. Plus, if things get rough, I'm relying on your biotic skills to counter her own."

Samara nodded. "As you wish, Shepard."

The entire square was abruptly shaken by a large explosion on the far side near the door leading to the markets. Shepard stumbled and was on the verge of taking a tumble to the floor when Miranda quickly reached over and steadied him. Their eyes met, for just a brief second, and Shepard saw both the strength and concern in her eyes. He gave her a curt and firm, but warm nod and she released him.

Turning back towards the entrance to Afterlife, he called back. "Fall in; time to pay Afterlife another visit."

Looking through the smoke and chaos, his mouth formed a thin, tight line. "We're going to get some straight answers…"

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review! If I get some in-depth reviews on what you think so far, I may update sooner and get to the REALLY good parts sooner!**


	5. Explanations

**Explanations**

Aria glared around the club; those incompetent Neanderthals she called her security forces were either standing around doing nothing or else running around trying to figure out what the hell to do. _Incompetent fools_. _If they could get their heads out of their asses for two seconds, they'd realize what needs to be done here. Blind idiots_. Here she was, trying vainly to find a solution to solve the current crisis before it completely tore apart her authority on Omega, and the only thing the mercs she called security personnel could do was run around in every direction but the one they were supposed to go. _Worthless_.

She was just turning around, about to yell at her personal body guards to get their asses moving and knock some sense of direction into the fools in her security personnel, when she caught sight of the heavily armed group making its way towards the stairs. Not security personnel- if that's what those mercs decided to call themselves and she humoured them about it- but a completely different type of squad; diverse, confident- dangerous.

Shepard's squad.

She'd recognized that man anywhere- his last few visits had been a little bit… unsettling. Not for her _personally_, of course- no one ever dared to break Omega's one rule. But his presence and actions during the times he had come had consisted of a few close shaves; a risk of bringing back a deadly plague, a direct intervention into unified gang warfare, the re-strengthening of a former rival of hers and the hunt for an Ardat-Yakshi. She had to give him credit for his actions; very few important acts happened on the station without her consent. It was a talent that was worth noting.

And a talent which also caused him to come up in the most inconvenient of times.

"Well, well, well." Aria cast a look over the squad as they approached. "Look who's come to bask in the utter chaos and destruction that's become of a once humble and stable rock in the Omega Cluster."

Shepard raised an eyebrow as he approached. Omega was definitely _not_ what he would classify as a 'humble' rock. As for stability, well… that had never been an overwhelming concern for most of the merc groups he had encountered here. Aria's iron grip may have protection over her own interests, but as far as the regular citizens went Omega may has well have been the Wild West.

It certainly had the appearance of it from where he stood; Afterlife, the dark, vibrant club where people often risked a hell of a lot for a good time and where the untitled 'queen' of Omega was usually found, was in a state very much like the outside square had been. All over the club, smoke rose from small fires scattered all over the room. The giant cylindrical screen in the centre, which always showed flashes of asari dancers, was completely destroyed and was flickering and sparking with an increasingly high frequency. And as in the square, security personnel and civilians- most likely unfortunate club-goers looking to get wasted and/or laid, Shepard thought- of all races- humans, asari, turians, salarians, batarians, krogan- lay in scattered heaps all over. A large number of them were wounded, lying in pain and agony and covered in either blood or burns. Others were clearly dead, their bodies casually left out in the open as if being abandoned for the varren. Shepard felt a sickening feeling in his gut- not only for the chaos and destruction that had taken so many lives so far on this goddamn station, but also for the callousness shown towards them. Omega- the place where the weak masses were casually cast away as soon as they were gone with not the slightest hint of consideration for them. _No wonder Garrus decided to target it in his quest for justice_, he thought; the station was a literal breeding ground for corruption and exploitation.

"If you would describe what Omega was before all this happened as 'stable', Aria," Shepard replied as he approached, "maybe you ought to get off that alleged throne of yours and actually take a walk around this station- see how nice and family friendly Omega is in all the dark corners and shady alleyways."

Aria snorted and turned away to walk back to her seat. "Screw you, Shepard."

"How ironic." He replied smoothly. "You're the second asari in a powerful position to say that to me in the last few weeks."

"Really?" Aria turned back to him. "And exactly what happened to the first one?"

Shepard kept a cool look towards her. "She died."

Aria gave a smirk. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" She took a step towards him. "Are you planning on making it two for two, Shepard? Going to break the one rule of Omega and bring this entire station into a state of even greater chaos and anarchy than it already is?"

Shepard took a second to observe his position and surroundings as he stepped up to the platform where Aria's; Samara, as per his request, was standing a few feet behind him to the side, ready in case she needed to respond with defensive capabilities. The rest of the squad was spread out at the foot of the steps to observe the rest of the club from all sides; though their weapons weren't currently drawn, all of them were on high alert in case the situation turned ugly in a heartbeat.

"I'm glad that you brought that up actually- the turmoil that seems to have spread all over this station. It's what I came here for in the first place to talk to you about."

"Is that right?" Aria regarded him with a predatory eye. "And why would you want to talk to me about it? Is this your job and you've come to brag about your ability to cause me headaches. Shepard? If that's the case, you can get the hell off this station before I decide to biotically _throw_ you off it. Your previous escapades have given me enough trouble already; I don't need any further distractions while this is going on."

"Funny." Shepard remarked. "The way I ended up on Omega this time, you'd think I would be the welcome relief to your distractions."

Aria looked at him suspiciously. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You tell me." Shepard reached into a hidden pocket in his armour and extracted the data pad containing the message he had been sent. "If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say that you're either being deliberately misleading or you're getting a little lax in your extranet security."

He tossed the pad to Aria, who caught it and passed her eyes over the contents. A frown appeared on her face as she skimmed the lines; it was very similar to the one she had shown the last time Shepard had shown her a data pad.

"How very interesting." She said finally.

"Isn't it?" The commander replied smoothly. "I was hoping you might be able to give me a few further details as to the situation when we got here." He cocked his head ever so slightly. "But I'm going to say that's probably not going to happen."

"Not in the way you mean, no." Aria tossed the data pad to the side. "But I wasn't referring to that specifically. I was referring to the fact that it's interesting that someone managed to send off a message from my own private address and I'm not hearing about it until now. Security isn't as... competent as it should be, but then again," she motioned with a sweeping hand towards the chaos, death and destruction that seemed to envelop the club, "my security forces have been a little distracted recently."

"From the nature of the message, I got the impression that if they were distracted in the slightest it was because they were focused on killing innocent people."

"The mercenaries on this station always end up killing innocent people- that is, when they're not killing each other." Aria said rather dismissively. "The sender of that message was rather well-informed though; knows my attitude well enough to phrase a message that would appear to be from me. But as you can see, if the mercs are joining forces it is to save their own asses, not to terrorize Omega and see what happens when people decide to fuck with me. So sorry to burst your bubble, Spectre, but I'm afraid your little trip was entirely for nothing."

Shepard sighed. "Even if you didn't send the message asking for my help, you could at least benefit from me being here. I have a well-armed and well-trained squad and I can help stop whatever's going on here before this station ends up getting blown apart. Do you have any idea who is behind this? A mercenary group, a gang that decided to ignite a turf war, anything like that?"

Aria narrowed her eyes at the commander. "I haven't the slightest idea who may be behind it." She replied coldly.

There was some movement beside Shepard; turning towards it, he saw Samara step up to stand right next to him. Looking at Aria straight in the face for a few seconds, she said, "She is lying."

Aria turned her attention towards the justicar. "And just who invited you into this conversation, O-Protector-of-the-Weak?" She said in an equally cold voice.

"I did." Shepard replied firmly. "If I'm going to help Omega, Aria, then I'm going to need some straight answers; you hiding whatever your many dirty secrets may be won't help me with that."

"My 'dirty secrets', as you so charmingly call them, are none of your damn business." Aria responded defensively. "If I need something done on Omega, then I deal with it _my_ way. Your presence is not helping the situation, Shepard, so I suggest you leave this station while you can still walk on your own two legs."

Samara met Aria's gaze. "We are here because we intend to stop whoever is causing these wanton acts of violence on Omega and killing countless innocents. If you do not see the harm that is being done to this entire station, than you really must be as selfish and uncaring as you appear to be. However you see it, innocent people are losing their lives with every moment that passes; we are going to put a stop to that- whether you want it to happen or not."

A dangerous gleam came into Aria's eye. "Is that right?" There was a crackle of blue around her fingers. "Well, let's we see just how well you can do that with your head a bloody pulp!"

An aura of biotic power appeared all around her and as she reared her arm back the same aura surrounded Samara. Aria sent a massive wave of biotic power towards the justicar, which was stopped when Samara raised her own hand in a defensive manner and pushed back against Aria. A massive aura of blue seemed to envelop the two asari as each battled for the upper hand, neither willing to give an inch.

Shepard, taking a quick step back from this show of force to avoid getting caught in the middle of it, quickly threw a look back down the ground floor; the biotic battle had drawn the attention of most of the security personnel in the room, who were approaching the area rather quickly, weapons drawn. The nine remaining members of the _Normandy_'s shore party quickly drew their own guns, causing the mercs to stop and preventing them from opening fire in the already unstable club; Shepard knew this was merely a temporary barrier against them, and that if he didn't diffuse the situation soon, the entire club could be ripped apart in a matter of seconds.

"Alright Aria, listen to me!" He shouted over the din of the combined biotic might of the two powerful asari. "We're not looking to cause you any problems here on the station! We just want to find out who's causing all this mass mayhem and put an end to it. If you want to continue to be the unofficial ruler of this damn rock, then this rock is going to need to still be intact when this is all over. I can help put an end to this!"

"And am I supposed to take your word and trust you on that?" Aria shouted back, not taking her eyes off of Samara.

"Look at it this way; trust is a two-way street. You keep lying to me and holding things back then you can forget about me doing anything to help you here. But if you tell me what you know, I'll do my absolute best to make sure that you remain as untouched as possible so business can go on as usual for you."

There was a pause as the commander finished speaking; looking at Aria, he could tell she was going over what he said in her mind, even as she continued to push her biotics against Samara's. Shepard hoped to hell that Aria would make the right decision- and fast. The more time that was wasted here arguing over petty, insignificant matters, the more likely it was that whoever was attacking Omega would succeed in killing many more innocent people- and possibly escape without them catching them or even knowing who they were.

After a tense moment, Aria's biotics retracted and the blue aura around her vanished; Samara soon followed with the same action, albeit slower and more cautiously. Shepard stole another glance at the bottom of the stairs and saw that although both the mercs and his squad had lowered their weapons neither group put theirs away.

Aria cast a look at Shepard and crossed her arms. "You can guarantee you'll put an end to this damn thing? You can say you won't get in my way afterwards or interfere with any… actions I take on Omega to ensure stability once everything is back to normal?"

Shepard felt a slight tainting of his own moral code inside him; he had never been one to support petty tyrants or anyone who exploited the weak in order to achieve their own goals, and Aria was pretty much a prime example of both. However, right now that was quite low on his list of worries, and like it or not, as exploitive as Aria was, right now she was practically the only anchor of stability in the hurricane known as Omega. His personal views on her private practices were just going to have to wait- for the moment.

"As long as you don't do anything to harm the civilians on this station," Shepard responded, "you have my word on that."

"Slightly naïve and rather optimistic of you, Shepard." Aria uncrossed her arms. "But I'll humour you."

She turned and walked back towards her usual couch. Taking a seat, she motioned Shepard to take his own usual one, and, looking at her expectantly, the commander sat down.

"I don't know who it is exactly that's wrecking all this havoc on Omega, Shepard," Aria began, "but I can assure you right now that whoever he is, he's one insane bastard whose favourite past time involves butchering any living thing he comes across and blowing up everything in sight."

"Wait a minute- whoever _he_ is?" Shepard stared at her disbelievingly. "You're telling me that all _this_…" he motioned with his arm around the room, "was done by _one man?_"

"Surprising, isn't it?" Aria responded. "I would never have believed it myself a couple of hours ago. Unfortunately, by the time I realized that that was indeed the case, it seemed about half of Omega was up in flame. I should have known better than to underestimate any opponent; even someone such as me can't be too careful."

"How do you know it's a single individual? I thought you said you didn't know who was responsible."

Aria got up and walked forward a few steps, keeping her face away from Shepard. "About six hours ago, I received word that something was going on in the lower apartments of this block. It was unclear as to what exactly happened, but it appeared there was some kind of disturbance in the area. I ordered the Blue Suns mercenaries in the area that act as security to investigate. Five minutes later, there were a massive series of explosions in the square outside. Everyone in here started running around; the civilians in terror, the security personnel in confusion. It was chaos."

She turned around and retook her seat. "I sent some more security personnel to investigate what was going on. The next thing I know this entire club is being rocked with explosions. Fires are breaking out everywhere and people are getting caught up in them and killed everywhere you look. A select few security personnel began bringing both live and dead bodies in here; they said the square was too filled up with them outside to hold them all at once."

Shepard cast his mind back to the scene outside, with the mass of bodies being piled up everywhere in sight. To think that at one point there had been more of them lying out there either dead or praying to whoever they prayed to that they soon did die gave him a disturbed feeling inside.

"You didn't go out there to see what was going on or to see if you could help?" Miranda called up from the foot of the steps, shattering the possibility that the squad hadn't been listening in on the conversation.

"My job is not to go racing around at every little disturbance on Omega." Aria replied coolly. "If I did, I would never stay in one place for more than five minutes. That's why I've hired off all these mercs as security personnel. Although," she said somewhat distastefully, "given how incompetent, greedy and selfish most of them are, I doubt they could do the job better than a pack of measly varren."

"That explains how you know what happened here." Shepard interrupted, temporarily ignoring the fact that the person who had just condemned the selfishness of the mercs practically oozed of selfishness herself. "How do you know who's responsible?"

"One of the krogan Blood Pack mercenaries went off to check a disturbance in the apartment district just a little ways away from Afterlife. About twenty minutes after he left, two of his fellow mercs saw a blood trail leading to one of the apartments and followed it in; they discovered their merc friend lying against a wall in a pool of his own blood. His head had nearly been completely severed from his entire body while his armour had been completely stripped from his body. He was barely alive and conscious, and according to the mercenaries muttered out something about a 'horrible, wide, insane smile' on the 'pale, psychotic face of a male human wearing a dark trench coat'. That's all his mercs could make out. Then the krogan choked to death on his own blood. But it appears his dying words weren't the only clue as to who his attacker was; our bomb-happy friend left his own clue behind- right with the merc himself."

Shepard's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Aria gestured forwards towards the area just past the stairs. "Go and see for yourself. His body is right there; the one covered in the black covering."

Shepard looked in the direction she was pointing and saw that the body in question was laying near the left most stairs. They had walked past it upon first entering the club, but of course had paid it no more attention that they had to the other bodies that were strewn around the area. Tali and Thane, who were closest to it, carefully walked over towards the body. Thane bent down beside the unmoving figure and cautiously lifted the covering up.

Tali immediately clapped a hand over her mouthpiece. "Oh _Keelah…_"

"By Arashu…" Thane murmured in shock.

The rest of the squad gave their own expressions of surprise and shock. Shepard quickly hurried down the stairs to see what they were all staring at, followed closely by Samara. Rounding the corner, his eyes quickly found the body.

He froze.

Never having seen a krogan out of their armour, it came as a surprise to him just how powerful and muscular they were in reality. That was shocking enough. What was even more shocking was what had been done to the torso of the black-coloured, disfigured krogan.

Carved into the thick hide of the merc, creating bloody figures in his flesh, were three human words.

_HA HA HA_.

Shepard suddenly felt his heart beat up significantly. It was as though he had been watching a horror vid and had just seen a terrifying, yet low action sequence. That sense of foreboding- of seeing and yet _not_ seeing; the hand that had done this was clearly seen, and yet it had not been seen at all…

In the background, he heard Aria's voice speaking to him. "Word to the wise for you Shepard; if you decide to go after this psycho after you can move your feet again, be sure to watch your back everywhere you go. From what I've heard, this is a relatively tame kill compared to what's been going on elsewhere on the station. And whoever did this is likely to be anywhere on Omega, doing anything he pleases…"

Shepard swallowed hard and forced himself back to reality. He looked at his squad and saw the looks of shock and disbelief on their faces. Even Jack, Grunt and Legion seemed to share sentiment; Jack seemed a little paler, Grunt a little more agitated, and Legion a little less synthetic. He caught sight of Miranda's pale face staring at him in great concern. "Commander?"

Shepard recovered himself. "Where is Oriana staying, Miranda?"

She swallowed hard. "In the Alpha Level apartments, according to my sources- on the other side of the station."

"Alright. Everyone listen up!" He said loudly in order to get his entire squad's attention. "I'm guessing all of you heard all that was said up there. I know it's hard to believe right now- hell, I can hardly believe it myself- but right now, it seems that all of this has been caused by a single individual."

"One very _screwed up_ individual." Jacob said in both shock and distaste.

"That what it seems like- which is why we're not going to take any chances. Whoever did this appears to be a male human with a pale face and a dark trench coat. Make sure that you keep any eye out wherever you go."

"I assume that means you've got a plan, Shepard." Garrus interjected.

"Yes, although it's definitely not going to be an easy walk in the park." Shepard warned.

"When is it ever?" The turian responded, only half-jokingly.

"Since it seems that this guy in the trench coat could be anywhere on this station, we're going to have to split up into separate groups to cover more ground and make sure he doesn't slip by us." Shepard explained. "I don't particularly like the idea of stretching our whole squad too thin, but it's the only way. So this is what we're going to do: Jacob- you, Grunt, Jack and Thane search and secure the main level here and the lower section right underneath this place; make sure this guy isn't hiding right under our noses."

The four squad mates gave curt nods. "You got it, commander." Jacob affirmed.

"Garrus," Shepard turned to the ex-C-Sec officer, "you, Samara and Tali take the shuttle to the old merc base where we met up several weeks ago; you know the area better than anyone so I'm giving you command over that team. There are a lot of places to hide over there, so make sure you cover all bases."

"Don't worry, Shepard." Garrus said firmly. "Nothing's going to get past us." Samara and Tali both nodded in agreement, with Samara adding, "I agree with your logic, Shepard."

"Mordin," Shepard fixed his attention to the salarian, "I want you to remain here and help the wounded. Civilians are priority; make sure they've all been stabilized before assisting wounded mercenaries. Use the supplies from the _Normandy_ first and foremost for treatment. I don't want you heading out alone to your clinic unless there is absolutely no course of alternative action available. Former STG operative or not, it's not going to do you much good without any back up. If you can avoid it, do so."

"Understood." Mordin replied. "Should be able to make optimum use of present supplies anyway. Chance that travel to clinic necessary remote."

"I want you to watch your back while you're here, alright?" Shepard said firmly. "Remember, this is Omega- anything can happen. And with the kind of people you find on here, something most likely _will_ happen. You so much as sense something is hostile, kill it. I don't care if it's our guy, a faulty mech or a merc out looking for a free score of something. Don't give them the chance to get a shot at you or at any of these civilians, you got it?"

"Yes, perfectly."

"Miranda, Legion and I will head to the Alpha Level apartments; there's an individual over there whose safe extraction is critical to this mission. Everyone keep in radio contact regularly; if there's a sign of our guy, no matter how small, let us know. And be sure to keep your eyes open for _any_ kind of threat. It's likely there are mercs out there who don't know who the hell they're trying to kill and may fire on you. Do whatever it takes to clear your area, but _under no circumstances are civilians to be harmed_. Understood?"

There was a chorus of 'yes, sir's.

"Then load up and get into your designated teams. We have a big job to do."

As the squad assembled with their appropriate teammates, Shepard cast another eye over the body of the krogan. Over the bloody letters carved into his chest.

_HA HA HA_

Shepard stared down. Even as he felt for the safety of his assault rifle on his back, he felt an icy shiver run down his spine.

And then he felt something else- something he could never, in his entire life, remember feeling.

A deep sense of dark and terrible foreboding…

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review! If I get enough detailed reviews on what you think of the story, characters, whether the characters are in character, etc, I might upload faster. **

**And the next chapter is where things really pick up.**

**Get ready- from here on out, this story is about to get darker- much, **_**much **_**darker…**


	6. Pursuit

**Pursuit**

Shepard cast a backwards glance towards the rear seats of the shuttle as it flew through the rocks caught in Omega's orbit towards the station's Alpha Level. Seated up front alongside the batarian Blue Suns driver, he had a good view of the entire area surrounding Omega, but that was not what was bothering him. He was far more worried about Miranda's current state of mind. Looking back, he could see the ex-Cerberus operative sitting beside Legion, gazing out the side windows at the space below; his XO's face was filled with both concern and grim worry, though she'd never admit aloud. He could completely understand her thinking; somewhere in the already unstable, Wild West-like station known as Omega was an individual who was causing more chaos and mayhem than anyone on it had ever seen. Fighting against that individual, for their own personal, selfish reasons were the merciless gangs of Omega, most likely resorting to extreme measures and tactics to stop this man- whoever the hell he was. And trapped right in the centre of all that was Miranda's younger twin sister. Shepard knew full well that Miranda would do anything for Oriana, even if it meant giving her own life. He made a promise to himself he would never let it come to that- for her sake as well as his.

Miranda herself had been virtually silent on the trip over; the last time she'd spoken was just prior to boarding the shuttle when she questioned Shepard over bringing Legion with them.

"_It's not that I don't trust it, Shepard. It's not that at all- after seeing what it did in the Collector base, I'm honoured to call it a team member. It's just… this mission just seems so personal to me. Oriana's safety comes first and foremost in my mind. If there is anyone I trust to understand how important this is to me, it would be you; you were there the last time I wanted to help her. You didn't have to do that, but you did it anyway.__ I'm just nervous about allowing someone else into knowing more about my sister; the last time that happened, well you know what happened…" Her voice trailed off._

"_Yes, but what happened then couldn't have been changed- by you, by me or by anyone else." Shepard quickly tried to draw Miranda's attention away from the confrontation which had revealed her friend Niket's betrayal; only Shepard's quick acting and skill of persuasion had prevented her from executing Niket in cold blood, just to see him gunned down by the Eclipse captain Anyala, leaving Miranda in a state of both shock and self-reproach. "Besides, if I remember correctly, when we saved your sister on Illium you trusted my decision to bring Jack along with us, and the last time I checked you two weren't the best of friends."_

_Miranda conceded this point, but still didn't like it. "True, but this is different. Jack was tolerant enough to go with your decision to have me come with you to the Cerberus base on Pragia. She definitely didn't like it, but she acknowledged that it was your decision. Besides, despite her reckless attitude, Jack is… is…" She trailed off._

"_Human?" Shepard finished, and he was fully aware that there had just been a sliver of steel in his voice. While his views towards Miranda had changed notably in the last weeks, his disdain of Cerberus' human superiority stance and the Illusive Man's determination to put humanity above every single other race in the galaxy had by no means faded._

"_Shepard, I fully aware of __how that sounded like." She said seriously. "You don't have to worry; I'm absolutely not considering siding with Cerberus again or taking the Illusive Man's side. I do believe in the necessary strengthening and advancement of humanity, but I see now what the Illusive Man planned was in his own personal interests, not those of humanity. I just think that a race such as the geth should be dealt with caution; you forget that they have been in conflict with certain organic races for centuries. We have no idea on how their separate networks will interpret data such as this and how they'll interpret which actions are necessary and which aren't in such a personal situation."_

"_Individual geth networks do not interpret data in alleged 'personal' missions differently than in other situations, Lawson-Operative." Legion's tin voice gave away the fact that the third party member in their team was present and had been listening to the exchange. "We do not express the same feelings as organics do; this mission will only be interpreted by this platform through a purely statistical view- the same as any other mission we have encountered. We have gained a consensus that this recovery mission of Oriana Lawson is necessary given the current importance of the re-stabilization of Omega."_

"_Legion's proved its trustworthiness to us numerous times before." Shepard added. "If it wanted to stab us in the back, it could have done so a thousand times over before. Besides, the Omega station is huge and restless enough as it was before this incident blew up. We need all the help we can get."_

_Miranda still wasn't sure that Shepard was right. After everything she had gone through to keep her sister safe from harm, letting someone else into her confidence about that seemed like an incredible risk to take. It had been hard enough to convince herself to give Shepard the details of it and he was probably been the most trustworthy person in the galaxy to her. To make anyone else aware of it- especially a synthetic- seemed incredibly hazardous to her._

_Legion seemed to sense her hesitation, for it added at that moment, "We understand your hesitations concerning the allowing of outside parties access to personal information. However, we must point out that your hesitations are both unnecessary and counterproductive. Shepard-Commander has earned this platform's trust and as such we trust Shepard-Commander's judgment regarding what is important and what is not on this mission. In addition, should you desire to reach your sister in time, we recommend quick, decisive action; hesitations only cause unnecessary delays."_

_Miranda had to admit that she couldn't argue with that logic; if there was one thing you could count on for a geth, it was that it would follow logic and mathematics to reach a conclusion. And right now, who knew what the hell was going on in the Alpha Towers while they stood around debating._

"_You're right. We should be busy getting over there and finding out what's going on." Miranda said firmly. "Shepard, if we leave now we should be able to reach the Alpha Towers in about twelve minutes." _

_A grim, worried expression crossed her face as she began walking towards the shuttles, where the one carrying Garrus and his team was just taking off; Shepard and Legion followed close behind her and it was only because he was already carefully listening that he caught what she murmured next under her breath._

"_I just hope we reach her in time…"_

The shuttle touched down about two minutes later with a slightly rocking jerk before the hatch coughed and lifted open. The three teammates got up and stepped out, Shepard in the lead as usual.

The batarian driver regarded them with a slightly pitying stare. "Here we are- the Alpha Level of Omega. The apartments are up on the third floor, about a click away. Just follow the path and you should reach them." He gave a slight snort. "That's assuming you're still alive when you reach them."

"And why would you think that?" Shepard said, not bothering to conceal the edginess in his voice. "Are your pals in Eclipse planning on giving us a special welcome on this level?"

"Hey, I'm just a shuttle driver. I'm not threatening you or any damn thing like that. I'm just saying that since this station got hit by this guy, all the mercs have been on edge. Eclipse, Blood Pack and Blue Suns are all scared shitless because of one human with a fetish for nearly tearing mercs' faces off and shit like that. You come across any of them, don't expect a warm welcome. They more than likely will shoot at anything they don't recognize- which now includes you."

"Thanks very much for the warning, but I think that a few rival gangs are going to be the least of these mercs' problems right now." Shepard replied coldly.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that. I mean, who the hell thought that one human could cause so much chaos and panic on _Omega_?" The merc shook his head. "Beats me how he does it, but he sure as hell does it well. Just make sure you watch your back here; based on what I've heard, these bombs that have been going off throughout the station are vorcha's play compared to what else he's done."

"Don't worry about us." Miranda said coolly. "Just be sure to stay out of our way; you stick around too long, and we might 'mistake' you for a hostile."

"No need to get pissy, lady." The batarian grumbled. "I'm going; probably better that way considering what you'll probably be walking into. Just remember that out here on Omega, anything goes. In this situation, anything _will_ go. If things go as badly as they probably will," he shrugged, "make sure you don't waste all your heat sinks. You may need one- to put yourself out of your misery."

Shepard firmly closed the hatch to the shuttle without a word and stepped back. The shuttle's engines kicked back on; it rose up in the air, hovered for a second, and then turned around and started heading back towards the main level.

Shepard then turned around to examine their surroundings; the square that they had landed in looked very much like all the other wide open spaces he had come across on the station. It was wide, dark and very unwelcoming; the wall and floor were all made out a dark metal and the few dim lights that provided light to the square offered little comfort to anyone who came across it. There were a variety of crates and containers scattered in the corners, but Shepard could only guess what they contained; on Omega, if it could be obtained and used, it was- regardless of what it meant for the innocents of this station.

As the three stood observing their surroundings, it suddenly occurred to Shepard that it would be a good idea to check up on the other teams' statuses- even if they hadn't seen the individual they were looking for, he wanted to be sure that they all started off in at least a somewhat steady way.

He pressed his finger to his comm unit. "Shepard to Team Two- do you copy?"

There was just the slightest pause before the familiar turian voice responded back in his ear. "_Copy Shepard, this is Garrus. We're reading you loud and clear._" Glancing back, he observed Miranda and Legion listening to their own comm links.

"What's your status?"

"_We're still in the shuttle approaching Site B_." Shepard had designated the separate teams and drop zones with different numbers and letters to avoid confusion. "_ETA about three minutes. We'll contact you once we land and update you on the situation_."

"Roger that, Garrus."

"_Commander- what's your own status_?"

"We just landed on the Alpha Level. Typical Omega; dark, dingy and perfect for the strong to prey on the weak. No hostiles or any other personnel in sight. We'll be moving quickly to secure the package."

"_Copy that Commander. Watch your back out there. Garrus out._"

Shepard clicked his comm again. "Shepard to Team One- Jacob, are you there?"

"_I'm here, Commander_." Jacob's voice came immediately over the unit. "_We caught your transmission to Team Two. We just finished clearing the accessible units of the main level and are currently on route to the lower part right now_."

"Any sign of our guy so far?"

"_Negative, but there's chaos here like you wouldn't believe. What we saw in the square is nothing compared to what's behind the closed doors. A lot of the routes down here are blocked by debris caused by explosions. My guess is whoever did this wanted to seal this place up as much as possible and block a lot of the possible places of refuge._"

"Or he wanted to cause widespread panic and fear amongst the locals so they'd all be in one place at the same time." It was Miranda who offered this suggestion.

"_That's also possible. There are a lot of bodies down here; humans, turians, batarians, krogan, vorcha- most of them look like they've been caught in the explosions. Whoever our guy is smart- twisted, but smart. This was no mere amateur experimenting with grenades._"

"No, he's not." Shepard interjected. "He's a dangerous criminal who's probably got a few screws loose in his head. Watch your back down there and keep me updated of any new developments."

"_Affirmative, Commander. Jacob out_."

Shepard cut the connection and was just about to press his link a third time to contact Mordin when the doctor himself came on the line.

"_Shepard. Mordin here. Do you copy?_"

Shepard activated his link. "I'm here, Mordin. What's your status?"

"_Currently difficult. Have treated most severely wounded patients, but many still remain. Most in dire need of treatment- blood transfusions, antibiotics, medigel. Current supplies dangerously low- will not hold out long under current circumstances. Only one viable option- travel to clinic to fetch additional supplies._"

Shepard swore in his head- this was exactly something he had been trying to _avoid_! "Mordin, I thought you said that you had adequate supplies to deal with this kind of load."

"_Made error in judgment. Happens occasionally when not given much time to fully assess magnitude of situation. Irrelevant now. What's important is obtaining necessary materials to assist wounded personnel. To do that, must travel to clinic_."

Shepard gave a muted, internal sigh. "What about the supplies on the _Normandy_? Can't you get what you need from the Med Bay? I know you can't transport all the injured people on board, but surely you can bring some of the supplies back on the station. Dr. Chakwas can assist with that."

"_No. _Normandy _well-equipped, but does not have necessary amount of medical supplies needed to treat present amount of wounded personnel. At most, could only treat one-third of currently untreated civilians with supplies from Med Bay. Clinic has much wider selection of supplies- antibiotics, stims, medigel, and other necessary supplies. Need to get there quickly to minimize risk of higher patient casualties._"

This time Shepard's sigh was very much audible. It seemed to him that there was indeed no alternative; if they stood around arguing, who knew how many more innocent people would die? He couldn't allow that to happen- not when he could prevent it.

"Alright, fine." He said into his link. "If it'll work, go to your clinic and pick up what you need. But you're not going alone; I'll send someone with you."

"_Unnecessary. Work in Special Tasks Group included solitary field work; can handle myself quite nicely._"

"This isn't up for debate, Mordin." Shepard said firmly. "Former STG or not, you can't be looking everywhere for threats at the same time. The last thing I need is for you to get yourself killed; if that happens, who's going to keep the injured civilians alive? Someone's going to watch your back while you're out there."

There was a click on the comm unit. "_Shepard- this is Jacob._" Shepard had temporarily forgotten that all the links followed the same channel."_We've just reached the entrance leading to Afterlife's lower section. I can send one of my team back to accompany Mordin to the clinic if you want; we've got one member more than the other teams anyway, so we won't be a member short._"

"That's a good idea, Jacob." Miranda spoke into her own link. "But which squad member can you afford to send back?"

"_Shepard_," EDI's smooth voice flowed into his ear. "_I am receiving reports of heavy mercenary activity in the blocks leading to Mordin's clinic. I cannot give an accurate estimate as to the exact number of mercenaries present, but if the information I am receiving is accurate, most of them belong to the Blood Pack._"

"The Blood Pack are almost always krogan and vorcha, many armoured." Shepard said aloud. "And the path leading to the clinic can involve both far and close quarters combat; we'll need someone equipped for both." He thought for just a moment and then said, "Thane, you have the skills to damage armoured targets and you're well-versed in both long and short range attacks; I'm sending you to accompany Mordin to the clinic."

"_Understood._" Thane's raspy voice came through. "_I'm heading back to the main entrance area now_."

"_Good_." Jack spoke up. "_I enjoy killing people up close and personal anyway. These paths down here are nice and narrow; my shotgun's just itching to let loose down here_." Shepard could swear he heard Grunt chuckle in the background.

"Thane, I'm counting on you to keep Mordin alive while he makes it through. He goes down, a whole lot of civilians are going to wind up dying very slow and painful deaths. Keep the mercs off him as much as possible."

"_Don't worry, Shepard; we will make it through and back again._"

"_Yes._"Mordin added. "_Don't forget that I as well can handle armoured targets. Looking forward to see how well mercenary armour holds up against fire damage._"

"I'm not sure they are as well." Shepard smiled a bit at the thought of Mordin unleashing his Incinerate ability on the mercenaries- it had been many a memorable moment in the last few weeks. "Just watch your back out there. That goes for everyone. I don't want to have to explain that the biggest group of badasses in the galaxy who destroyed the Collector base managed to get taken down by a few measly mercs."

"_We won't give you the satisfaction, commander._" Jacob said lightly. "_Don't worry- we'll contact you if we come across anything down here. Jacob out._"

Shepard closed his link and turned towards his two teammates; Miranda and Legion had closed their own and were now staring at him expectantly. "Shepard, if we want to reach Oriana in time, we need to get moving now." Though it wasn't explicit, the commander could sense urgency in both Miranda's voice and her face. That in itself was something that was almost never seen underneath the cool exterior she usually showed; it was clear that her patience was running thin and she wanted to get up the apartments.

Shepard nodded in agreement. "Let's get moving. Everyone watch out for anything suspicious. Until we know exactly who we're dealing with, nobody take any chances."

Reaching to his back, he pulled out his assault rifle and extracted it to its full length. Miranda immediately followed by pulling out her machine pistol, while Legion brandished its own assault rifle; though the geth usually relied on its sniper rifle, the dark, low, narrow corridors made accurate rifle shots difficult, even for a synthetic. The path extended forwards about twenty feet before curving off sharply to the right.

Shepard took point with the other two falling in close behind him. Cautiously, the three made their way forward. Shepard was all too well of the danger that they faced; the back streets and dark corners of Omega were dangerous enough as it was. Right now, the slightest wrong move could mean the death of all of them. He refused to allow himself, or any of his crewmates, become a mere statistical casualty on this damn station.

The team paused at the corner. Shepard pressed himself against the wall, waited for a moment, and then nodded to the others. Simultaneously, the group came around the corner, weapons first. Shepard stopped moving and held up his hand, bringing Legion and Miranda to a halt as well.

About fifteen yards directly in front of them was a large steel, sliding door blocking the path; the door was quite clearly bulletproof and had certainly been designed as a sort of security defence to keep people who were not supposed to pass that area out. To the right of the door was a large security station with a standard sliding door; the green light in its centre indicating it was unlocked and ready for entry. Something about that made Shepard uneasy- as if something was wrong with the picture, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Shepard-Commander," Legion spoke up, "this security station appears to be directly connected with security wall in front of us. We will need to access it in order to bypass the system and allow us passage."

"Then let's get on with in." Shepard affirmed.

"Acknowledged." Legion walked towards the sliding door while the other two covered it. The geth stopped in front of the door and pressed upon the green symbol which would open the door.

Nothing happened. It tried again- still nothing. Shepard frowned and Miranda looked like she was about to say something when Legion spoke up again. "Access denied- the main door is locked."

"Locked?" Miranda's voice was disbelieving as she observed the geth infiltrator. "How can it be locked? The light indicates the door is open!"

"There appears to be an error in the station's security system ." Legion replied, studying the lock carefully. "The locking mechanism appears to have been overridden from the inside. This data is troubling as it indicates abnormal behaviour on part of security personnel; this override code is merely a standard first line of security. Had security decided that a lockdown was necessary, it is logical that they would have used more advanced levels of security than this. This behaviour may indicate that the perpetrator of this lockdown wished passage to eventually be granted to anyone coming through from the outside. We have not yet reached a consensus over whether this is the case."

"Can you open it?" Shepard asked.

"Yes. We will be able to cancel the override code quite simply."

"Then do it." Shepard ordered.

"Acknowledged." Legion turned and began working on the lock. Shepard and Miranda both remained as silent as possible; even though they had no idea how geth responded to such distractions, they weren't about to take any chances.

Shepard's comm link beeped. "_Shepard, this is Garrus. Do you copy?_"

Shepard a finger to his ear. "I copy, Garrus." He could hear the sound of gunfire in the background. "What's going on over there? What's your status?"

"_We're under heavy fire from a group of Blue Suns mercs; they started shooting at us the moment we got down to the ground. It's hot over here, but we're moving forward with relatively little difficulty._"

"They just attacked you without the slightest provocation?"

"_Affirmative. Normally I wouldn't be surprised, but these mercs seem very paranoid and uptight. I think they were just so nervous about what's happening that they're shooting at anything that moves. Whoever's responsible for this sure has got them scared._"

"I can't say I necessarily blame them. This situation's slowly going from bad to worse to terrible. Are things on your end going alright?"

"_Roger that- this is going to take some time but we should be able to clear them out and resume our search. I'll contact you if I have any more updates. Garrus out_."

Just as Shepard closed his own link, he saw Legion turn away from the door towards him. "Shepard-Commander, we have successfully disengaged the override system; the door is now unlocked. Should we proceed to open it?"

The commander nodded. "We'll cover you, Legion; just watch out you don't get caught in the crossfire if there is any." He raised his assault rifle and aimed it towards the door; Miranda did the same with her machine pistol.

Legion pressed on the centre of the door and promptly stepped to the side. There was a click followed by a whoosh as the door coughed and then slid open.

Shepard's first thought when the door opened fully was that someone inside was running out towards them bent on attacking the group. He gripped his rifle tightly and pressed his finger against the trigger, ready to unleash hell on them. It was only his soldier's discipline and marine training that kept him from making a rash action and fully assess the situation.

The figure in the doorway was wearing standard turian armour with no insignia on it- a rare sight that indicated that this was a straight up security personnel member not associated with any merc group. It took Shepard a moment to realize that the turian was not running forward- he was falling forward.

The security member landed with a crash on the floor, lying face down half in and half out of the room. Miranda took a sharp intake of breath and Shepard gripped his weapon even tighter. A large pool of blood was starting to spread out on the floor from beneath the dead turian; a dark blue liquid that seemed to reflect every bit of light in the dimly-lit path.

"Miranda?"

"He… he must have been lying against the door." Miranda said in a tense voice. Shepard cast a look at her before kneeling down beside the turian's body. Cautiously, he rolled it over on its back; the guard's torso armour had been ripped off and Shepard could quite clearly see the bloody wounds in his chest.

"Jesus Christ." Shepard found himself murmuring. He'd seen plenty of bad injuries and wounds in his life, but none had ever been so vivid and graphic as _this_- whatever the hell had caused this.

"Are those gunshot wounds?" Miranda said, her tone sounding as though she already knew the answer.

Shepard shook his head. "Not a chance- I've seen too many gunshot wounds in my time to tell you these weren't made by any long-range weapon. They look almost like… blade wounds."

Miranda swallowed hard unconsciously. Shepard continued to kneel down and stare at the turian's body until he was interrupted by Legion's tin voice.

"Shepard-Commander? We advise you to look at what it is inside the security station."

Shepard lifted his head to see the geth gesturing to just past the open door and realized he had forgotten all about the station itself. Standing up, he stepped over the turian's body past Legion into the station. 

He stopped dead.

If the tumbling guard hadn't caught him by surprise, the inside of the security station sure as hell did. If the commander didn't know better, he would have said that he had walked straight into the set of a graphic horror vid. Sprawled out on the floor were the bodies of humans, one man and one woman, both wearing the same type of armour as the turian had. Their entire bodies were soaked in blood and it was virtually impossible to distinguish any particular features other than gender under the thick red blanket that encompassed them. The liquid had also spread across the floor, covering at least half of the concrete like a half-finished carpet. It was- to say the least- a very sickening image.

Legion followed the commander in and stopped just in front of him on the right side. Its face plates narrowed as if observing the carnage, and after a moment said, "Three dead individuals in total. Deaths probably caused by exsanguination. For all subjects, it was likely a slow and painful process."

Shepard murmured, more to himself than to Legion, "They bled out."

"Yes. That is the most likely scenario to have happened here."

Shepard felt Miranda come up behind and then stop dead. He turned around to face her; she was staring at the wall directly opposite the door. "Oh my God…"

Shepard turned to where she was staring; as he did, he felt his stomach churn.

On the opposite wall about ten yards away, a large happy face had been crudely painted on the steel- in the same blood that was now covering half the room.

It was an even more disturbing image than the previous one.

Fighting to keep his stomach in check, he said as slowly and calmly as possible, "Legion, the controls to the security gate outside are on the left side of this station. Can you open it up from here?"

"Affirmative." The geth replied. "We can do so easily as soon as you are ready to proceed."

"I'm as ready as I can be." Shepard replied slowly but steadily. "I think that after seeing all this, there's not a whole lot that'll startle me." Even though he said it firmly enough, he wasn't nearly as convinced of that as he made it out to be. "Open it up, Legion."

"Understood."

Shepard turned around and found that Miranda had already stepped outside. When he came out, he found her staring at the security gate, gun held loosely at the side. She seemed to be staring off into space, her mind not quite focused on what was in front of her.

Shepard said cautiously, "Miranda? Are you alright?"

The ex-Cerberus operative looked at him for a second. He could have sworn that her face was a little paler than usual but it was hard to be sure. She cleared her throat and looking back towards the gate. "I'm fine, Shepard." She raised her gun and gestured towards the gate. "Let's just get up to the apartments and do what we have to do."

Shepard frowned to himself. He could tell that she was in no way as cool and collective as she tried to make herself out to be, but he decided not to push it. She was right about one thing; they needed to get up to the apartments as soon as possible.

Shepard followed her example and lifted his weapon towards the gate. In his ear, he could hear Legion's voice. "Access achieved. We are opening the gate now, Shepard-Commander."

Shepard gripped his rifle tightly as there was a cough from the steel hinges on the door. The kills that had happened in that security station were quite fresh. For all they knew, whoever had caused them was still around; the station had offered no view of what was beyond the steel gate.

Someone had slaughtered the guards up close and personal. Someone had set up countless bombs around Omega and caused mass hysteria, death and destruction. Someone had carved laughing words into a nearly decapitated krogan's chest. Someone had painted a smiley face in blood in the room with three slaughtered security guards.

The gate slid open.

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review! If I get some well thought out, in-depth reviews I may upload faster so hit that review button!**


	7. Confrontations

**Confrontations**

Shepard and Miranda both held tightly on to their guns, fingers pressed against the triggers, ready to unleash hell on anyone in front of them. Legion quickly moved alongside the pair and drew its own assault rife, its facial plates narrowing in concentration.

The gate slid down into the ground, slowly but surely, revealing another long corridor, one that stretched about twenty yards before turning to the right. There was no sign of anyone or anything in this area- merely the same darkness and dinginess of the rest of Omega. No blood, no bodies, no mercs, no sign of anyone matching the description of the alleged bomber.

Shepard threw glances at his two squad mates and gave a brief nod; he took a brief step forward, carefully scanning the area with his eyes, gun at the ready. Everything seemed alright- no sign of any danger anywhere. Of course, in his career he had run across God knew _how_ many scenarios which had seemed totally harmless but ended up coming back to bite him in the ass. He wasn't going to take any chances this time.

"All clear." He said finally, motioning forward with his hand. "Let's get up to the apartment level as soon as possible; the schematics show the way up there is along this corridor Move out."

Miranda and Legion carefully stepped forward and got on either side of the commander; Miranda on his left, Legion on his right. Shepard took point and began walking forward, his two teammates following closely behind him.

The hallway was just as dark as the one they had just come out of; the walls were mostly concealed by the shadow, making it difficult to see what, if anything was lying right next to them.

It also made it virtually impossible to determine exactly what happened next.

As the corridor was completely deserted apart from the _Normandy_ crew, the only sounds present in the area were their footsteps which radiated quietly off the metal walls. Shepard's keen ears, alert for the ever present sign of danger, immediately recognized the dissenting noise amongst the slow processes of their steps; a faint but audible click directly to their right.

He came to a quick halt and moved his rifle in the direction of the sound, just as there came a _whoosh_ from the same area. In the same second, the commander was caught off guard and temporarily blinded as a thin gas-like substance the colour of water sprung from the designated wall and engulfed his head.

Shepard let out an involuntary cough and immediately turned away; the substance was all around him- around his entire body. He could just barely feel it against his exposed skin; an almost mist substance that seemed to be trying to suffocate him. He covered his face with one arm while simultaneously trying to clear the air around him with his other hand.

"Shepard!" Miranda's voice quickly drew his attention to his left side. Miranda was covering her nose and mouth with one hand while trying to get the mist away from her. Her eyes met his, and he could see the deep concern in them as she looked at him.

"Miranda!" He coughed again. "Don't inhale any of this stuff! Keep your hand over your face!"

Desperately, Shepard tried thinking of anything he could do to get them out of the area and away from this stuff. He knew he ought to move forward and get the hell into a space in the corridor that was unaffected by the mist, but for some reason he found he just couldn't force himself to move.

But that just was unacceptable; he _had_ to move. He had to get his team out of there before they all…

"Shepard-Commander."

Legion's synthetic voice brought Shepard's attention to his right, and the commander noticed two things: the geth was staring at him, its flashlight head focused upon the Spectre in the upmost apparent calm; and the mist substance was abruptly dissipating into the air. Shepard stared in surprise as the fumes quickly became even more translucent than they were, curling up into wisps and promptly vanishing. Within five seconds of observing this, the mist had abruptly vanished, leaving not the slightest trace that it had even been there behind.

Shepard heard a heavy breathing noise to his left and turned to see Miranda taking several deep breaths. His concern returned. "You alright, Miranda?"

The ex-Cerberus Officer gave a small cough followed by a quick nod. "I'm fine, Shepard. What about you?"

The commander blinked once and turned straight ahead; he had been slightly bent over at the time of the incident and now straightened up to his full height. "I'm alright. Better now that I'm breathing in clear air. Well, clean for Omega at any rate. Damn it." He shook his head in frustration. "I should have detected that _before_ we crossed into the area. Why didn't I see it?"

"I didn't see anything either." Miranda replied. "The walls are so dark, it makes searching them without an adequate light source very difficult. Besides, we were all watching the street, not the walls."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better." He looked back towards her. "What the hell _was_ that?"

Miranda merely shook her head. "Some type of gas leak, maybe? But we're all still alive here; if this was a gas leak, surely we would all be unconscious. Or… dead."

"This platform does not respond the same way to chemical vapours and fumes the way organics do, Lawson-Operative." Legion interjected.

"Yeah well, maybe that's a very good thing." Shepard said as he turned back towards the geth, his assault rifle dangling from one hand. "We can't see what the hell caused that if we were all dead, could we? Any ideas on that, Legion?"

"We already know the cause for this incident, Shepard-Commander." The geth turned towards the wall and activated its omni-tool. A light appeared from the orange glow and Legion directed to the right wall; secured tightly in the concrete was a metal grate- the unmistakable covering for the entrance to an air duct.

Shepard approached and studied the grate carefully. Miranda, her eyes narrowed in concentration, said, "The opening to a main air duct?" She shook her head. "This was definitely no mere gas leak or other malfunction; Omega may not be up to par with its health and safety standards but something like that just wouldn't be a single incident. There'd be others- and we'd have noticed them. Accidents don't just happen for any reason."

"This was no accident, Lawson-Operative." Legion turned his light down towards the floor; there was a small, almost invisible switch attached to the wall at the bottom. Well-camouflaged against the darkened and shadowed concrete, it would have been impossible to detect without the use of light.

"Observe. We have detected the presence of a standard movement detection device, more commonly known as a tripwire. It is not possible that it arrived there merely by accident; this indicates hostile activity within this sector."

"And I've yet to meet a merc who resorts to tactics such as these." Shepard remarked, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in his gut.

"Which means whoever's attacking Omega is likely responsible." Miranda added in a concerned tone.

"Legion," Shepard said, taking a step towards the geth, "can you tell us anything about the mist-like substance that was emitted from that grate? What it was, how it may affect us, anything?"

"Negative. This platform is not designed for the analysis of chemical or biological material. At any rate, the substance has already dissipated into the air; proper analysis would be impossible without a viable sample."

Shepard sighed and turned back facing straight ahead. "Alright, let's keep moving; we can't afford to waste time. Miranda," he turned back towards her, "if you feel even the slightest bit unwell, I want you to say so; we have no idea what that mist was and I'm not about to take any chances losing squad mates out in the field." _Especially not you_. "Someone obviously set that trigger for a reason, and we can't afford to go back to the _Normandy_ to get that checked out right now. We don't need any dead heroes who tried to tough something out only to end up dead. Understand?"

Miranda nodded, somewhat hesitantly. "Understood, commander. Just make sure you don't drop dead either; Saviour of the Galaxy or not, you're still human. Don't make me spend billions of credits bringing you back simply because you ignored your own orders."

Shepard allowed himself a small smirk. "I'll try to keep your plate as empty as possible." He motioned with his rifle. "Let's go."

The squad raised their weapons and proceeded down the long street; unlike the previous one, this one was notably longer. As a matter of fact, from where they were, it was virtually impossible to make out the end of it; the dim lights concealed the far wall- or whatever was at the eventual end of the street. They'd have to be extra careful when approaching the area, keeping their weapons drawn to take out even the smallest threat.

Shepard's comm linked beeped. _"Shepard,"_ a raspy voice penetrated his ear; Miranda and Legion tuned into theirs as well while keeping their weapons raised, _"Thane here. We're moving through the area towards the clinic. Hostiles are everywhere but we're moving steadily. Should be there in just a few minutes."_

Shepard activated his own link while continuing to move forward carefully, his two squad mates following his example. "Copy that, Thane." Shepard responded. "How's the situation down there compared to the rest of the station?"

"_Area to clinic filled with Blood Pack mercenaries; not overly simple but not impossible either."_ Mordin responded. _"Situation in main area of Omega apparently has not touched this section- not yet at least. No serious explosions, no sign of mysterious human culprit, no mutilated bodies. Have seen nothing to indicate target is in this section. Still, will keep a vigilant lookout."_

"Do that Mordin. And that goes for you as well, Thane; be on your guard. You of all people should know that it's what you can't see that you most often have the most to be afraid of."

"_Very true. I will make sure that we are not caught off guard. Watch your own back out there as well Shepard. Thane out."_

There was another beep on the commander's link. _"Shepard- Jacob here. We're encountering heavy resistance in the lower section near Afterlife. At least twenty hostiles- look like Eclipse mercs."_

Shepard replied, "Can you handle them on your own?"

"_Affirmative. They're digging themselves__ in behind whatever cover they can find, but we'll be able to clear them out soon enough. No sign of our guy in the trench coat, but right now that's probably a good thing; we have more than enough enemies to deal with."_

In the background, Shepard heard the sounds of gunfire; over the din, he could make out the unmistakable sound of Jack hurling obscenities at the mercs. This was quickly followed by Grunt's own shouts and roars of delight. The commander suppressed another smirk and instead said, "Copy that, Jacob. Watch your back down there. Shepard out."

He signed off, hesitated for just a brief moment, and then reactivated the link again. "Garrus, tell me you aren't missing out on all the fun everyone else is having?"

The turian immediately responded back easily, _"Me, miss out on kicking ass? You couldn't pay me enough to avoid that, Shepard!"_

"Good to hear since I'm not paying you anything anyway. What the situation on your end?"

"_The __Blue Suns are starting to fall back. We're almost at the original rendezvous point where we met up a few weeks ago, but so far we've found no trace of our guy. I'm starting to think that maybe Aria was playing us and this is just the result of some gang warfare she doesn't want to dirty her hands with."_

"Somehow Garrus, I'm don't think that's the case." Shepard trailed off, his mind returning back to the scene he'd witnessed in the security station. He didn't bother bringing it up- no need to cause his scattered teammates even more worries than they already had.

"_Well, at any rate we're making progress. Tali's combat drone is scattering the mercs everywhere and making them run right out to where Samara's biotics can trap them. Me? You can let Thane know that my record for sniper kills isn't going to be broken by him on this team anytime soon."_

"Try telling him that- I guarantee he won't believe you." Shepard grinned. "Just make sure you're alive long enough to say it, Garrus. Keep an eye open for anything. Shepard out."

The commander clicked off his link and looked up; it was only with some surprise that he realized that in walking along while speaking on the comm, he and his teammates had come to the end of the street without him noticing it. The area they currently stood in was a dimly lit ended alleyway that split off into three directions; in the centre and on either side of the walls were opening, each with a set of stairs leading upwards. The steps all went up for about fifteen metres before curving slightly; the left one to the right, the right one to the left and the centre one in a cylindrical, spiral fashion. It was unique situation- one that Shepard had never encountered before.

"Commander?" Miranda spoke up.

Shepard's mouth formed a thin line. "That's strange. I don't remember there being _three_ staircases here. The way I understood the schematics EDI provided, there was only one staircase in the centre that led up to the main elevator that leads to the apartment complex. I wonder why these other two didn't show up."

Miranda's eyes narrowed at the separate paths; this was getting far more complex than she'd wanted it to be. "Legion," she addressed the geth, "any idea where these other staircases lead?"

"One moment, Lawson-Operative." Legion's facial plates narrowed in concentration and its flashlight head moved slowly and carefully from one opening to another, taking in any relevant data it saw and analyzing it to form a consensus.

"Task complete." The geth turned back towards Miranda. "We have analyzed the relevant data and come up with numerous possibilities. The most likely probability of all of them is that all three staircases lead to the exact same area- the main elevator leading to the Alpha Level apartment complex. These paths merely diverge and present separate paths towards the same destination."

Miranda turned a confused look towards Shepard. "Three different paths to one elevator? That seems very unusual for a station to have- even for Omega."

Shepard solemnly nodded; there was something about this whole situation that was bothering him- something he just couldn't shake off and put to rest. It was nagging away at the back of his mind, and, more importantly, was twisting in his gut. If there was one thing that he never ignored, it was his gut; it had saved his life on numerous occasions throughout his life. However, there was little time to debate what this could be right now; every single second they delayed lessened their chances of getting up to the apartments in time- and put Oriana in greater danger. To succeed, they would have to get a move on- and it seemed there was only one sure way they could make sure all their bases were covered.

"Three paths to one elevator?" The commander repeated. "Well then, there's only one thing to do here. We're going to have to split up to make sure we don't miss anything; each of us will have to take a separate staircase."

"Shepard, are you sure that's wise?" Miranda questioned. "Our team is already spread thin enough as it is; if we split up, it'll mean they'll be no one to cover your… I mean each other's backs."

"And if we miss our guy because we failed to take every possible route," Shepard argued, "then all our team's searching and dividing up will have been for nothing. I don't like this any more than you do but it's the only way to be sure. Miranda, you take the stairs on the left; Legion, you take the stairs on the right. I'll head up the centre right through there. If what you said, Legion is true, then the paths will all eventually lead to the same spot. We'll regroup there and make our way up to the apartment complex. Alright?"

"Acknowledged." Legion replied. Shepard nodded at it then turned towards Miranda.

The XO still didn't like the idea- she thought it would expose them too much- but she acknowledged that the decision was Shepard's and she had to follow that. "Understood, commander."

Shepard nodded. "Watch your backs out there. Use the comm if you need to get in touch. Otherwise, try to keep radio silence."

Miranda and Legion both nodded towards the commander; the three of them all turned towards their respective staircases and, with a collective movement, passed through the openings up onto the steps.

Shepard moved cautiously, keeping his rifle up in front of him as he made his way up the winding staircase. The cylindrical spiral shape put him at a distinct disadvantage should a firefight break out here; most of his rounds would be going into the wall, and he would have to fight his way up, towards an unseen enemy and very likely a gun pointing in his direction. If there was ever a time he needed his soldier's training to keep his cool and not panic, it was now.

The staircase kept rising up and up; it seemed to be especially long, but perhaps that was because he was moving very slowly and cautiously. In reality, it probably rose up only about twenty or thirty feet, but for the commander it may has well have been seventy feet.

Shepard gripped his weapon tighter as he finally stepped off the landing into a long narrow hallway to the right. The corridor, or whatever it may have been, looked very similar to the ones he had previously seen on the station; bare, concrete walls and the occasional steel crate lying against the walls. Just like the rest of Omega, it had a dirty, corrupt feeling to it, and though he couldn't say for sure why, he had a feeling that this area of Omega was slightly more… contaminated than the rest of the station.

As he took his first few cautious steps, he couldn't help feeling slightly cooler than usual- as though a cold breeze had suddenly blown through the area. He could feel it against his skin under his armour, and across his uncovered head. Narrowing his eyes, he scanned the hallway for any vents or anything that could allow such cold air in, but there was absolutely nothing in sight which could account for it. His suspicions rose and he pulled his gun closer towards him.

His ears immediately perked up as a sound echoed behind him- a footstep. Whirling around, he stared down the sights of his assault rifle- ready to fire on whoever or whatever it was that was trying to sneak up on him, but his eyes opened slightly wider as he found that there was nothing behind him whatsoever.

Shepard felt his heartbeat increase slightly as he observed the empty landing in front of him. He knew right away that he hadn't been imagining it; he had too much experience to know whether or not you had heard something. And yet there was nothing in sight. That was just not normal- something was wrong.

Then, as if to confirm his suspicions, all the lights in the corridor, as dimly lit as they were, flickered once, went back to their regular intensity, and then almost went out entirely. The only indication that they were on at all were the very faint circles of light surrounding the area where they were positioned. Not that it really mattered; they were far too low to be of much use. The commander could barely see ten yards in front of him, let alone what may have been in the shadows.

His eyes moving back and forth, trying to catch a glimpse of something- anything- in the dim light. "_What the hell's going on here?_"

"Still trying to find the answer to everything, Shepard?"

The commander whipped around bringing his weapon around with him in the direction of the voice. It had come from directly behind him where the hallway stretched into who-knew-where. He could see nothing in the dim light.

"Whoever's out there- come out- _very slowly_!" Shepard shouted into the dark. "I've got a weapon trained on you! Come out now!"

There was a pause. Then the same sound that he heard before started again; slow-moving, calculating footsteps. Footsteps that were slowly but surely approaching him. He tightened his grip on the assault rifle.

A figure appeared before him; a tall, slender figure. Half-hidden in the darkness, it was impossible to tell exactly who it was, what species they were, or even if it was a man or a woman. Shepard racked his brains, trying to figure out who it could possibly be; he knew the voice was familiar- very familiar- to him, but he just could not remember who it might have belonged to.

The figure had stopped just out of the light; he could see the outline of their body- it had a very human-esque shape and structure. He could almost say with certainty that it was indeed a human, but that did little to put his mind at ease.

He shouted again. "Come into the light where I can see you- now! Move very slowly- or I'll put a round in your skull!"

There was a small chuckle from the area where the figure stood, followed by low, serious words. "I don't doubt it."

Then the figure took another step and entered the pale dim light that seemed to surround Shepard. Barely enough light for him to know where he was, it also provided just enough light for him to see the face of the individual in front of him.

His heart froze in his chest.

"Very nice to see you, Shepard." The figure gave a very sadistic and unfamiliar- at least unfamiliar for the face Shepard knew- smirk. "Are you here to murder me again?"

Shepard felt his throat constrict and tighten. In a low, strangled voice, he managed to force out the one word on his mind.

"_Ash?"_

**ME**

Miranda stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes went to the lights in the ceiling of the corridor; they were now beginning to flicker very quickly- brightening and darkening the area in very fast interval flashes. The action was making it impossible for her to focus on anything in particular- a very dangerous position to be in if you were hunting a dangerous enemy.

She swept her machine pistol across the area in front of her, looking for any sign of movement in the obscurity. She could feel the biotic implant at the base of her skull begin to hum very slowly and she tightened her grasp on the weapon. Her implant usually hummed for three reasons; when she was getting ready to charge up a biotic attack, when she was experiencing a rush of extremely strong emotion (she couldn't remember that last time that had happened), and when there was a severe change in atmosphere or pressure in the area she was in. When the last one was the case, it usually meant that another biotic in the area was charging up for an attack; it was something that had saved her life numerous times in the past- one of the few things she could actually be grateful for to her bastard of a father.

Abruptly, she felt something hit her on the forehead; something sticky and wet. Miranda suppressed a sight. _Great_. She knew that maintenance was never a major priority on Omega, but couldn't Aria at least make sure that there weren't oil or fusion spills happening all over the station? One spark under the wrong circumstances could blow the entire section of Omega to pieces. And that _definitely_ couldn't happen now- under these circumstances.

Almost unconsciously, she lifted her hand to her forehead and wiped the substance off. Almost as unconsciously, she looked down to see what it was that Aria had allowed to leak down from the ceiling- what it was that she needed to tell the 'queen' of this goddamn rock was spewing from the many cracks in her 'kingdom'.

Her blood froze in her veins.

Even against the black fabric of her ex-Cerberus alternate uniform, there was no mistaking the colour of the substance on her glove. No mistaking the redness of the small yet powerful spot.

It was _blood_. _Human_ blood.

Miranda looked up towards the ceiling- she stared in shock; a thick coating of blood was forming on the ceiling right above her, covering every inch of the solid concrete. It gathered in the centre right above her head, forming one large puddle. A large stream came together and fell down towards her; it hit Miranda right in the forehead. Several more streams formed and came falling down on the ex-Cerberus agent; within several seconds her entire face, as well as the front part of her uniform was covered in the red liquid.

The lights in the corridor suddenly flickered back up to their normal level of illumination; Miranda looked towards the wall and her eyes widened as she saw thick streams of blood covering the entire wall, racing down towards the ground. They quickly spread out across the floor, pooling and starting to flow quickly towards her.

"_No…"_ Miranda barely recognized the voice as her own. It sounded so weak, so scared… so _pathetic_. She turned to the other wall next to her and watched in horror as streams of red blood quickly covered it and spread to the floor towards her.

"_No…"_

The pistol fell from her hand and clattered to the floor. She put her hands up to the sides of her head and slowly sank to her knees; the lower sections of her field pants quickly became soaked by the warm, sticky liquid. Her hands clawed her head, smearing the substance over her jet black hair.

Then, out of the darkness, she heard them. The voices. The voices of the past. The voices of the insignificant. The voices she had long concealed a fearful desire of hearing.

The voices of the _dead_…

"_Murderer… murderer… murderer…"_

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please give me a DETAILED, HONEST review! I love all reviews, and especially ones that go into detail about plot, characters etc. If I get enough reviews, I'm much more likely to update faster!**

**Just FYI: the next chapter is going to be rather… intense. Not so much that I feel the whole story deserves an 'M' rating (though I'm sure some chapters **_**will**_** probably deserve an 'M' rating) but rather intensely emotional. I guarantee you the chapter will be good, so hit that review button so you can read it faster! **


	8. Fear

**Fear**

Shepard felt his mouth go completely dry. A sweat broke out over his forehead and his heart began pounding even faster. He felt his muscles go numb throughout his whole body and before his brain could register it, he had lowered his assault rifle slowly to his side, where it dangled loosely and uselessly from his hand.

A small smile spread over Ashley's face- a cruel and sadistic smile, one he could never even imagine as seeing on her. "Now is that any way to treat an old friend, skipper? Because that _was_ what I was to you, right? A friend? I mean, what other relationship could we _possibly_ have had?"

"It's not possible…" Shepard murmured in disbelief. He shook his head slowly. "You're dead…"

She merely shrugged. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? I mean, sitting wounded next to nuclear bomb, waiting for it to go off, trying to fight off countless waves of geth shooting at you… yeah, I suppose not a whole lot of people could survive something like that. There was no possibility of escape for me- at least not with the way you made sure things happened."

"I don't understand." Shepard murmured, apparently still not taking in what his supposedly dead teammate was saying to him. "I saw the bomb go off on Virmire. I saw you next to it just seconds before it exploded. You couldn't possibly have gotten to cover in time."

"You're absolutely right, Shepard." Ashley said, catching him off guard. "I _didn't_ escape that bomb blast. I _didn't_ get to cover in time. What happened to me was exactly what everyone thought happened to me. I died, Shepard. I never left that rock called Virmire alive. And that's how it was supposed to be all along, wasn't it? What happened to me was just as you planned it to happen."

For the first time, the commander seemed aware of exactly what Ashley was saying to him. Her final words immediately drew his attention and snapped him out of his temporal daze. He stared up at her, a look of both confusion and disbelief slowly spreading over it. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about murder, Commander." Ashley said in a stone cold serious voice. "_My_ murder; the murder you planned and committed on Virmire."

Shepard felt as if he had just been hit in the chest unprotected by an armour-piercing round; all the air seemed to drain out of him and he struggled to suck in a fresh breath.

He tried to speak, but found he couldn't; it was as though his throat had suddenly been constricted to the point where he was unable to and he couldn't get the words that he wanted- needed- out.

"Oh yeah, that's right Shepard." Ashley looked at him coldly. "You left me there to me to die. I was the better soldier than Alenko; I would have been a much more effective teammate when you were saving the Council's scaly asses. I would never have let you get blown up when the Collectors attacked the original _Normandy_. And unlike Alenko, I would never have refused to go along with you on your mission to stop the Collectors. I was the superior soldier- and you left me to die on that rock."

"That wasn't what I intended!" Shepard finally found his voice, full of shock as it may have been. "Do you think I wanted to leave you behind on Virmire? I _tried _to get back to the bomb site! I _wanted_ to save you! It never occurred to me that I wouldn't have the time to get back to you! I ordered Joker to pick you up while we were at the AA towers; you said that wasn't an option since it was too hot! I did everything in my power to try to get to you in time!"

"And yet that wasn't nearly enough." Ashley's eyes were cold and distant and contained none of the warmth he had seen so often when he had looked into them previously. "You failed, Shepard-you failed me on purpose."

"What _happened_ to you?" Shepard rasped- his voice thick with emption. "You're not the same woman I used to know!"

"No- I'm not." Ashley looked at him coldly. "I changed, Shepard- I changed a long time ago. Death changes you. It sure as hell changed me. And that's not all; I was changed by an individual. An individual who determined how my life was going to end. _You_ changed me, Shepard; you deliberately killed me and let me become something else entirely."

"I don't know who the hell you are," Shepard said slowly, "but you're not Ash. The Ashley Williams I knew was a warm-hearted, caring person who would never accuse her friends of intentionally letting her die- not when she knew that it wasn't true."

"Oh, but it _is_ true." She replied. "Every little bit of it is nothing but the absolute truth. And what's more, you know that. You know, in the deepest, darkest parts of your heart that you murdered me. You murdered the woman you lied to, the woman you claimed to care about. You murdered the woman who loved you- all so you could keep your little deceit under wraps and move on to your next prize."

"See, that's where you're wrong." Shepard responded in an equally cold tone. "If you were the real Ash, you'd understand that. Ash was the first woman I ever really truly cared for; she was the epitome of strength, beauty and goodness. She knew exactly where her loyalties lay and was never one to beat around the bush, but never once did I hear her flat out accuse anyone of her teammates of betrayal. Despite her suspicions of non-humans, she never let that get in the way of working with them for the greater good. If there was ever a quality I could appreciate about her, it was that one, and if for no other reason, I loved her for that."

Ashley gave a smirk. "Maybe that's what you tell yourself- maybe that's what you try to convince yourself of in order to help you sleep at night. But it doesn't work, does it? Your guilt is far too strong for you to forget about it. For once in your life, you can't merely convince yourself that you did the right thing. That's why what I'm telling you is burning you from the inside out- because you know it's the truth."

She leaned in closely and whispered in his ear. "And you know what else is burning you from the inside out; the fact that despite what you try to tell yourself, you've found solace with a murderer just like you- that cheap little slut who runs around half-dressed. Miranda- that's her name, right?"

Shepard felt the rage start to build in him like a growing, red-hot fire. He struggled to keep it under control and swallow his anger, but his involuntary reaction to her harsh words didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh yeah- you think I wouldn't know about that? I do. You open your eyes after the _Normandy_ blows up and the first thing you see is a scantily-clad Cerberus agent standing over you and speaking to you. Of course, the first thing that enters your mind is 'how do I convince her to put aside all she cares about and be with the first human Spectre'. And lo and behold, after you rescue her sister, she's stripping off what few clothes she has and riding you right on the floor on the engine room."

She gave another smirk and murmured lowly to him, _"How does it feel Shepard, knowing that your precious little cheapskate is also a little murdering bitch?"_

Shepard's body reacted without thinking; in the blink of an eye, he had grabbed her and slammed her up against the wall, pressing his forearm right up against her throat. His fury-filled eyes burned right into her own and he felt the hand that clutched his rifle tighten involuntarily. He hated the way this- _thing_, whatever it was- talked about and tarnished Ashley's good name and character.

Ashley merely gave an amused chuckle. "What are you going to do, Shepard? You're going to kill me? I got news for you; you already did that two years ago and now all you've got left is the memory of it burning you from the inside out. Besides, even if you wanted to kill me, you couldn't; it takes a real badass to kill someone face-to-face, not merely let them die while watching from orbit. You're not a real badass. You're not even a real man. You just try to make yourself feel like one by fucking the first whore who lowers her top at you."

And the way she talked about Miranda.

Ashley merely grinned another sadistic grin. "See how easy it is for me to push your buttons? You don't like what I'm saying, do you? Well, guess what; you can't do anything about it. Which means, technically, I can say whatever the fuck I want. I had you in the palm of my hand the entire time we were together and I have you in the palm of my hand now. You were never more than a little amusing toy to me."

Shepard's gun hand was now dangerously close to acting out on its own; he struggled to keep control of his emotions.

The figure in Ashley's form stared into his eyes and murmured, lowly and dangerously, "What are you going to do about it, Shepard? I called your girlfriend a murdering bitch. Wanna know why? Cause that's what she is; a fucking murdering little bitch. I can say that and you won't do a fucking thing about it because you haven't got the balls."

In one fluid motion, she had knocked his forearm off and sent him back. Looking at him with a cold, predatory stare, she went on. "On your own Shepard, when Miranda leaves you alone, you're _nothing_. Without her to save your ass, you'd die in an instant. You're a boy, Shepard; a scared, weak little boy who tries to make himself feel like a man by fucking the 'perfect' woman who brought him back to life.

"But you already know that." She slowly began to circle him, moving around behind him so she lean in and murmur right in his ear. "You know that deep down inside, you murdered me so you could find that Cerberus bitch. One murderer will always attract another. You couldn't handle a real woman, so you went to find yourself a cheap, easy whore. I died for your own selfish reasons and you know that deep down you intentionally killed me, don't you? Don't you? Don't you…"

"_YES!"_

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please give some good reviews!**

**FYI: The next chapter will be quite dark and intense as well- it deals with Miranda's crisis. Any ideas as to what's going on? There IS a good explanation, but I thought I might see what people's opinions are.**

**How do you feel about the nature and intensity in this chapter?**


	9. Guilt

**Guilt**

"_Murderer… murderer… murderer…"_

Miranda clutched her hands to her ears and bent her head down, trying to block out the chants that were vibrating off the concrete walls. The voices were increasing in volume and intensity, growing to such an extent that it was impossible to force herself not to listen. It was as if the entire corridor had suddenly filled with hundreds of invisible people all chanting at the same time- chanting at _her_. _Accusing_ her…

"_Murderer… murderer… murderer…"_

"_NO!"_ Miranda shouted out blindly. She felt her fingers dig in deep into her temples, even though she was completely unaware she was actually doing it until she felt the pain sore through her head.

"Get away from me! Get out of my head!"

The sticky wet blood that soaked through her uniform was now completely coating not only her face and torso, but also her jet black hair. She could feel it ooze down onto her scalp, pass through her boundaries, invade her space. She felt violated- contaminated- by a force she couldn't even see, let alone stop. By the warm liquid covering her skin. By the voices penetrating her brain- worming their way into her mind…

"_GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"_

The noises continued- the voices, the chanting, the pounding like a sledgehammer at the base of her skull…

And then another sound… the low sound of a chuckle right in front of her. And then slow, deliberate footsteps. A pair of boots appeared just at the top of her line of sight; dark boots that attached to white pants. She slowly raised her eyes upwards, and then tilted her head up to see the person's face.

It was herself.

She felt her heart stop beating for a second or two. A thin layer of sweat broke out across her body- across her blood stained face. Her eyes widened in shock.

The figure in front of her looked exactly like her- same pale face, same jet black hair, same dark eyes. There was an air of confidence surrounding her that Miranda recognized instantly as very familiar. And she was wearing the old white Cerberus uniform that she had worn almost every single day for the last two years until a few weeks ago; the Cerberus symbol just above her right breast shined out towards her as vividly as when she had seen it for the first time. To the untrained eye, she may have well been looking in a mirror.

But there was also something different about this mirror-image- something that Miranda could sense even without looking for it. Though she had always been well aware of her own abilities and advantages, she had always made sure to keep it reasonably low key. Never had she blatantly flaunted it to everyone she came across. Oh, she took pride in them- as much pride as she could from something she had received from a man who didn't care about her- and utilized them to help humanity's cause, but she always made sure it was relatively downplayed. This figure- this… _reflection_ of herself- literally oozed of self-importance, of arrogance, of vanity.

There was a very dark, disturbing look in the double's eyes that Miranda did not recognize. Never had she seen it when looking in a mirror, and never had she believed that anyone else had seen it before. There was certain and definite coldness in the depths of the double's eyes along with a sick hint of sadism with it. Looking at them- seeing this sense of twisted pleasure portray itself so vividly in her own face- caused a sick feeling in Miranda's stomach. This was not her- not a chance in hell of it.

Slowly, she rose up to meet the double head on, staring at her in shock and disbelief, unable to tear her eyes away from her own. The wet, stickiness of the blood all over her body was disregarded from her mind- she no longer felt it against her cold, clammy skin; the temperature in the hall had suddenly plummeted as though a freezing draft had just blown through.

A sick smile twisted across the double's lips, her eyes remaining narrowed at Miranda; a chill ran though the ex-Cerberus officer's body at the pure intensity of it. In a lone tone, as steadily as she could, she asked, "Who are you?"

The double continued to smirk. "Who am I? Isn't that obvious, Miri?" She waved a hand in front of her as if trying to emphasize her point. "I'm _you_…"

"No." Miranda quickly shook her head. "No, you're not me. Not a chance of it. You look like me yes, and you talk like me but you're _not_ me. Whoever, or whatever you are, you are not what you say you are."

"Oh, but I am." The doubled replied coolly. "I'm exactly what you are, Miri; take off a few years and a few annoying little scars and you become exactly I am now- the good old faithful Cerberus officer ready to do anything for the cause of humanity and the Illusive Man."

Miranda felt another sickening feeling deep in the pit of her stomach; the mere mention of her old occupation and boss was enough to make her ill with guilt.

"I'm nothing like you." She said firmly.

"Yes, you are; we're exactly the same people. We share the same traits. Same lust for power. Same ice-cold heart." The double gave a small grin. "Same self-important, moral-less, fuck-you attitude. We got where we were by killing countless people, and we share that burning desire deep inside; the desire to kill and to take life."

She raised her hand and indicated to the side. "Just take a look for yourself; ask them and see if they're as confident as you are over who you are."

Miranda slowly moved her head to the left towards the area where the double was pointing, and her breath caught in her throat; Niket stood there, pale, sullen- a massive gunshot wound in his chest. But Miranda's eyes only glanced over it- her attention was drawn towards the cold, accusing look on his face.

"Niket…" She murmured. She began shaking her head slowly. "No. No, no, no- this can't be real. You- you're dead…"

He merely regarded her coolly. "How ironic is this, Miri?" She involuntarily flinched at the hostile tone in his voice. "I thought you said you never wanted to see me again. And yet here you are; one of my oldest friends comes all the way to this God-forsaken place on another personal crusade to save her beloved sister. I'm glad you made it though." He fixed her with a narrowed eyes stare. "Nice to finally look a back-stabbing murderer in the eye."

Miranda swallowed hard; the scene in the loading docks back on Illium was pushing its way to the front of her mind. She struggled to force it back. "No." She shook her head. "No- that wasn't me, Niket. I- I hated you enough to be willing to but it wasn't me. I wasn't the one that fired the shot that killed you…"

"But you wanted it to be." Miranda looked over her shoulder and saw Captain Anyala glide right up to her; the merc's bullet-riddled, bloody armour gave testament to her encounter with the _Normandy_'s field team. "You were fully prepared to execute him in cold blood- to gun down your best friend and watch as he bled out right before your eyes. The only reason you let me have that particular honour was because your little boy-toy of a commander stopped you before you could succumb to your natural instinct."

Miranda felt the rage start to build and swirl around her; she hated the way that asari bitch- even if she was not real- talked about Shepard; her commander, her sister's saviour- the only man she had ever loved…

She struggled to keep her personal thoughts out of the equation. "You have no idea what my instincts are." She spat out bitterly. "But I can tell you right now that you're not going to push what you did on me. I'm not responsible for the actions of a petty, gun-for-hire like you."

"Oh, but you are." The double's voice brought Miranda's attention back to her mirror image. "Your very presence there guaranteed that he would be gunned down right in front of you. Even if you had no intention of killing him yourself your cold attitude made sure that Niket's life would be cut short there and then."

She smiled another sadistic smile and took a step closer to Miranda. "But you know what your intentions were that night, don't you? You were there lusting for bloodshed- to see the life drain from your oldest friend. To see him stare at you in shock and horror as he sank slowly to the ground, his eyes asking you- pleading with you- '_why_?' You could feel that surge of disappointment flood through you as Shepard grabbed your arm, couldn't you? I know you did; I certainly felt it and I know you felt it too. You want to know why?"

She leaned in close and murmured in Miranda's ear. _"Because killing is something we both get off on…"_

The white hot rage in the ex-Cerberus officer continued to grow hotter and stronger.

"Oh yes, darling- we both have trembled in pleasure every time we take a life. It's like a massive orgasm that sends ecstasy throughout your entire body- except a hundred times more pleasurable than any mere screw job on an engine room floor can do. It's something we thrive on, you and I; the fear of your opponent mere moments before you kill them."

With a sudden gesture, she turned a snarling face towards the figure in Niket's form; he immediately took a step back, a frightened look on his face. She smirked and slowly turned back towards Miranda.

"See the way they fear us? The way they flinch in terror at the merest glance from us? You've killed so many, darling- humans, aliens, men, women- that it no longer matters who they are anymore. And you know that, deep down in the darkest places of your cold, icy heart. The voices tell you that; the voices of all the hundreds you've slain."

Miranda could hear them again, the voices chanting inside her head. Hundreds of voices, all at the same time.

"_Murderer… murderer… murderer…"_

"No!" Miranda said firmly; the voices immediately ceased. She looked the double straight in the eye- an eye that was so familiar and yet so unfamiliar- and said, "You may think you're me- that you and I share the exact same thoughts and emotions- but we are nothing alike. Not any more. I gave up being you when I realized that it wasn't truly me. I was confused- mislead. Whatever part of you I may still have no longer dictates who I am."

The double raised an eyebrow. "Really?" She said unbelievingly. "Well then, if that's really the case, why do you get a warm, fuzzy feeling in your stomach whenever you do this?"

In one fluid motion, she had drawn her heavy pistol from her side, aimed it at Niket's head and pulled the trigger; a thick red spray first from his forehead and his head snapped back as his body went crashing to the ground.

A sickeningly warm feeling coursed throughout Miranda's entire body. "No…"

Without hesitation, the double switched her aim over to Anyala and fired; the round struck the merc right in the throat, and as she slowly sank to the ground Miranda could see a look of smug triumph on the asari's face.

The double lowered her pistol. "Everything you've tried to make sense of in the last few weeks has made you weak. Before your little suicide mission, there was no one who was a more ruthless, cold-hearted killer than you; you commanded respect through fear and no one would dare question you over it. But it seems you've softened up quite a bit, haven't you Miri? You've let your emotions take over your instinct and made you into something pathetic. And you know who caused that, darling? The weak-minded Commander John Shepard."

Miranda clenched her fists tightly; her implant was humming more strongly now and her body was dangerously close to reacting on its own.

"Oh yes, the great Commander Shepard- Saviour of the Galaxy twice over- succeeded in yet another seemingly impossible task; the seduction and weakening of Miranda Lawson, loyal Cerberus officer to the bone and the Illusive Man's favourite asset."

Miranda responded tersely, "That part of my life is over. It was a mistake- an error in judgment on my part that I see now."

"You see absolutely nothing." The double dismissed callously. "You are blinded by your own… _distractions_. You allowed your emotions to overwhelm you and you let down your barriers; and when you let down those barriers, Shepard took advantage of the situation and pushed himself into a position he has no business being in at all. He's not even a real man, Miri; he's a weak-minded, little boy who's trying to find his place in a galaxy far too complex for him to even begin to understand. And you- what are you trying to do? What do you think you felt in the engine room on the way towards the Omega 4 relay? Love? Let me give it to you straight, darling; _you are incapable of love_. Shepard is incapable of love. What were you trying to prove in the engine room? That you could make yourself feel like a normal human by fucking the first human Spectre? You'll _never_ be a normal person, darling. What happened on that trip was exactly what you thought it was in the first place; a meaningless act of lust with weak-minded bastard who cannot possibly hope to even be a real man."

"See that's where your wrong." Miranda replied, her voice shaking with rage. "You think because you look and sound like me that you know what I'm thinking, but you don't. Commander Shepard is without a question the strongest, most noble man I have ever known. He has gone through things in his life that most other people in the galaxy wouldn't even _dream_ of experiencing. He has suffered pain, tragedy, and impossible odds countless times over, but never once has he ever complained about it. He saw me as more than just a mere loyal Cerberus agent and showed me that there's a difference between merely living and being alive. He showed me that having a heart and a conscience is not an automatic signal of weakness; he proved to me that even the most cold-hearted of people can be capable of love and I love him deeply. He's probably the only man I ever could love like that. He has done more for humanity and the rest of the galaxy than anyone else in its history, so I'll be damned if I let you stand here and piss on his good name."

"You'll end up killing him, you know." Miranda froze at the double's words; that was something she knew she feared more than anything in the galaxy. The mere possibility that Shepard would die because of her would haunt her for the rest of her life. If that happened, she would lose herself; she would go back to being a cold-hearted killer with no sense of morality, just as she had been prior to meeting Shepard.

No- that would never happen. It _couldn't_. She would keep him safe. She would give her life in a heartbeat if it meant saving his. There was no chance that anything she did would harm him- she wouldn't be able to live with herself if it did.

"You're lying."

The double smirked. "Sure. Whatever you want to tell yourself to relieve yourself of the burden and responsibility. You don't want to believe it so, in your mind, it won't happen. That's a nice fantasy, darling, but it won't mean a damn thing in the real world; it's not the truth. And the truth of the matter is, when your beloved leader meets his end, it _will _be at your hand."

"No…"

"How will you do it, Miri? Will it be a mere accident? An error in judgment on your part out in the field? A mistimed shot that splits open _his_ head rather than your enemy's? No, I don't think so- I think it will be intentional on your part? So how will you kill him, darling? In bed when he is at his most vulnerable with you? A mere finger in the right pressure point perhaps, or an overpowered burst of biotic energy that rips his body apart. Will you make it quick and painless?"

She leaned in close again, smiling sadistically. "Or are you going to torture him- make him scream and beg for his life, and then scream and beg for you to end it. And when you're finally finished with him, leave him to bleed out on some hard concrete floor…"

Her voice was barely a whisper: "… _like a fucking little pig…_"

In that moment, Miranda snapped; her vision was obstructed by fury and all sense of reason gave way to blinding, red hatred. The ruthless renegade in her exploded in full force and a burst of blue biotic power appeared all over her body. Swinging her fist directly at the double's face, her mouth expelled the two words that were on her mind:

"_You__… BITCH!"_

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review! What do you think of this chapter (intensity, characters, etc)? And what about the story as a whole? How's that going?**


	10. Alert

**Alert**

Miranda's body exploded with an aura of blue biotic power, her eyes burning with rage as she rammed her fist forward towards the smirking face of her double. Her anger was so great that she could no longer think or see clearly; all she cared about was hurting the lying, sadistic bitch in her form before her. For the way she had made her doubt herself. For the way she had talked about Shepard.

She felt her fist make contact, but not with the pale smirking face of the woman in her form who had taunted her- with something else. Something hard and metallic and strong.

"Lawson-Operative?"

Miranda blinked once and stared straight where her fist was reaching out. The double standing right in front of her promptly vanished; in her place, Miranda found herself staring into Legion's single optic receptor, its facial plates narrowed in concentration. The geth was holding onto her fist, which was just a few inches away from its face, in its own hand- not tightly but rather firmly, as if to make sure she was made aware of what was going on.

"Legion?" Miranda felt the fire inside her slowly begin to burn away; the blue aura around her vanished as her biotics receded and she gently pulled her fist away out of Legion's grasp. As she did so, she caught a glimpse of her arm; her eyes widened as a wave of surprise washed over her, observing that it was completely clean- not a trace of blood anywhere on it.

She brought her hand up close to her face, eyes narrowed in concentration, looking for any hint of blood that she had felt soaked through it- there was none at all. Quickly, she passed her hands over her face, her hair, her torso, her legs; the red sticky life substance which had literally encased her just a moment ago had vanished into thin air. Her hair was now as clean as it had been ten minutes before, the blood which had soaked through her uniform and pressed closely against her skin was gone. She looked at the walls, the ceiling, the floor- the lights were back up to full power, illuminating the hallway- all of which were completely blood-free.

Miranda felt a sense of both confusion and doubt begin to creep up inside her stomach, and she found herself blinking several times as if to make sure she was really seeing what she thought she was seeing. There _had_ been blood- that was an unmistakable fact in her mind. Or had she? She _must_ have; she had seen it, smelled it, _felt _it- just like she had seen the double right in front of her. But then again that couldn't have been real, could it? No, it was impossible that that had, in fact, been real- and yet she had _seen_ it. Was it possible that she had been hallucinating- seeing, hearing and sensing things that weren't there? How was that possible? And yet it was the only logical explanation wasn't it? What else could explain…

She felt a shiver and a queasy feeling in pit of her stomach. That was what worried her so much- not being able to explain what she had witnessed. Throughout her life, she had made a point of being able to figure out and explain the reason for everything that she had encountered or come into contact with. The fact that she could not do so here made her uneasy- vulnerable… She tried to shake that feeling off.

"Has Lawson-Operative been harmed?"

Miranda was once again snapped out of her mindset by Legion's voice, who was continuing to stare at her with peak interest and concentration. She gave her head a brief shake and replied in her normal voice, "Of course not Legion, I'm perfectly fine." She bent down and picked up her machine pistol from the floor. "Why would you bother to ask that?"

The plates on the geth's face straightened and curved again, as though studying her actions and movements. "Your choice of words and intended acts of violence towards this platform suggests that you were experiencing a vivid and likely traumatizing hallucination."

Miranda paused and stared, slightly caught off guard. The geth were synthetics, she knew, and had the capacity to do and understand some things that organics could not- at least not right away. What she didn't expect was a geth to start analyzing her actions in a psychological manner. She had been hesitant enough as it was allowing Yeoman Chambers to examine her mental state unofficially aboard the _Normandy_, but having it done by a machine was something else in and of itself. She wasn't quite sure how to react to that.

She again decided to brush it off. "Maybe it was, but it's not anymore. It's nothing to think about or analyze. I'm fine."

She noticed that Legion's 'expression', if you could call it that, had not changed and she silently cursed the geth for being so damn synthetic, mechanical and precise in its observations; clearly it could sense that she was _not_ alright and would not believe her protestations to the contrary.

"The manner in which you confronted this hallucination suggests that you are agitated and concerned about something in addition to the success of the mission and the recovery of your sister. Given the circumstances, it is likely that this source is relatively nearby. One logical conclusion." Its facial plates straightened again. "You are worried about the status of Shepard-Commander."

Miranda looked away for a brief moment before responding to that remark. It was certainly true what Legion said, no doubt about that, but she was not nearly set to tell the geth _exactly_ how much she was worried about the commander- even if she suspected Legion already knew about it or else could figure it out soon enough on its own.

"I'm partially concerned about him, yes." She replied. "Considering what's going on here on Omega anyone who is on their own, even if they're someone like Shepard, can be in danger. I don't want that to happen to him- or to anyone."

She thought it was an appropriate answer- one that expressed her concern for the commander without giving anything away. Legion narrowed its plates at her as if trying to determine the true extent of her concern for Shepard, so she quickly interjected with a question of her own. "Speaking of Shepard, where is he? I thought you said that all the staircases downstairs led to the same elevator that goes up the apartment level."

"We said that it was the greatest probability, but that was not a certainty." Legion replied. "Evidently the status has changed. We followed the staircase we were assigned to and reached this hallway, deserted except for yourself in the midst of your hallucination. The path followed by Shepard-Commander likely leads to the elevator. It would be logical to join up with him in order to finish this mission."

Miranda stared down the hallway in the opposite direction from which she had come in, realizing that it was only now that she was finally getting a good look at it. The second part of the hallway looked very much like the first part had- filled with crates stacked up against the walls, barely illuminated by the low light. At the end of it she could see the light spilling in from the doorway leading to the other staircase which Legion had followed and realized the geth was right; there was no sign of the third staircase anywhere on this level. Wherever Shepard had gone clearly wasn't up here. She felt all her old worries seep into her chest.

"If he's not here, then he must already be at the elevator waiting for us." This line of thought by Miranda was more about trying to convince herself of this fact than agreeing with Legion. She couldn't help but worry about what the commander was facing at this very moment. If what Legion had said was right and she had indeed been hallucinating, what was to say that Shepard hadn't experienced something similar as well? Or worse…

"We concur with your logic and therefore recommend that we move to join up with him immediately." Legion agreed. "There is something going on in this section that warrants extreme caution. We have not yet reached a consensus on what it is precisely, but in all probability it relates to the previous actions we have come across here on Omega. Alert!" Its head suddenly turned to the side momentarily.

Miranda looked at it, slightly alarmed at the sudden warning by the geth. "What do you mean? What alert are you talking about?"

"We have detected a significant increase in electrical impulses in the levels above. A likely cause would be shortages caused by external damages. This suggests that the area in question is in the middle of a critical situation. We recommend that regrouping with Shepard-Commander at the elevator and proceeding to the apartment complex to be the most advisable course of action."

With that, the geth turned and started walking towards the landing that Miranda had entered a few minutes before; she hurried to catch up with it and caught it by the shoulder, bringing it to a stop just inside the doorframe. "What do you mean 'a critical situation' in the area in question? What area are we talking about?"

Legion studied her face, its optical receptor moving back and forth. "The charges emitting the most powerful frequencies are located in the main floor directly the one we are currently occupying. Based on the schematics we have studied, the level in question has been positively identified as the apartment complex in which the subject Oriana Lawson currently resides."

Miranda felt a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. She swallowed hard and said slowly, "And the situation?"

"As previously stated, a significant amount of electrical impulses have been released into the area, causing power shortages. This is most likely being caused by external sources acting to disrupt them. Given the nature of the frequency, it is likely the disruptions have spread to all parts of the apartment complex. In view of the current situation, there is one probable conclusion."

Miranda's breath caught in her throat as she waited for the geth to continue. When it spoke again, she felt her blood freeze in her veins at its words.

"The entire apartment complex, including the area where subject Oriana Lawson resides, is currently under attack and has been heavily damaged. Risk of casualty rate for all individuals still in the area is currently 98%."

**A/N: Hmm, now what should I do about this cliff-hanger? Should I go on or should I leave you all on edge? A few well-written reviews may help me decide…**

**FYI: Some more Shepard torment is up next (providing I decide to continue!) and we'll also get the first glimpse of our mysterious bomb-happy, slaughter-happy antagonist!**

**FYI: Starting with the next update, I'm going to upgrade this story's rating to M since I feel it's probably going to need it based on where I see this going. So all you people who don't want to miss out should subscribe to this story if they haven't already. Personally, I feel the M rating will allow for more of an edge- especially considering the possibilities I'm considering putting in this fic…**

**So really tell me how this story is going! **


	11. The Man Who Kills

**The Man Who Kills**

******A/N: I changed my mind and am keeping this at T; teens should be able to handle reading stuff like this. If scenes of violence and/or sexual scenes disturb you, don't read, but I think this should be suitable for teens. Enjoy!**

Shepard violently twisted away from the voice- the taunting voice from the figure in Ash's form. It was _not_ Ash, of that he was certain- Ash would never do or say anything like this. She would not try to convince him that he had intentionally made a call that would result in the death of any of his squad mates.

She would not make him hate himself and doubt everything he did.

He fell to his knees, his head spinning around and around, the room becoming one giant blur. He grabbed the sides of his head, trying desperately to block out the sound of the voice. Trying to block out the guilt and hatred that was rapidly building up inside him. Trying to get a grip on some semblance of sanity back in his mind.

… _crackle… hiss… fizz…_

Shepard froze for a second, and then lifted his head up and around. His eyes widened and then darted left and right; the figure of Ash's form had vanished, leaving him in near total darkness all on his own.

… _hiss… fizz… crackle…_

The noise came again- directly in his ear. The commander felt his heartbeat begin to pound even faster and harder than it already was; the crackling wasn't coming from anything in the corridor- of that he was certain. In fact, he already knew exactly what it was; his comm link was crackling mysteriously and abnormally in his ear.

Slowly, he raised his hand and activated the link on his end. "This is Shepard. Is anybody there? Hello?"

… _crackle… fizz… hiss…_

"I repeat: is anyone there?" Shepard's voice was louder but only to the trained ear; anyone who was listening closely would realize that Shepard's voice, whether intentionally or otherwise, was still very quiet and cautious, as though knowing that there was danger in the vicinity.

"Garrus? Jacob? Can you hear me?" Shepard was beginning to wonder whether the comm signals were being blocked; if so, his teammates' efforts to get in touch with him were in vain. He couldn't hear anything they were trying to say, and his efforts to respond were likely going unheard as well. Still, he had to try.

"If anybody can hear me, listen carefully." Shepard gripped his link harder. "We have a situation in the Alpha Level near the apartment complex. There have been numerous casualties for the sector's security and there is evidence that the area has been booby-trapped. We have strong reason to suspect that the attacker is in the vicinity and request any non-occupied teams to regroup over here…"

Another crackle, much louder this time, vibrated throughout his ear, followed by another sound- low, insidious chuckling. Shepard stopped and slowly stood up. In a low voice, he said, "Who is this?"

… _crackle… crackle… __"Why is it when anyone says 'with all due respect, they really mean 'kiss my ass'?"… crackle…_

Shepard instantly felt his muscles tense up. A thin layer of sweat immediately broke out over his forehead. His fingers pressed even tighter into his ear. He instantly recognized that voice once again, and against everything telling him the contrary he still held out hope against hope…

"_Ash?_"

…_crackle… fizz… "We're sorry, but the link you are trying to reach is no longer in service. Please check your connection and try again later__…"_

Shepard's brows furrowed to the point of near joining. _What the hell?_ Under normal circumstances, he would have found something like that amusing, but not now. Now it was creepy as hell…

"… Who's on this line…?"

… _hiss… __"I'm afraid your teammates can't come to the line right now… on account of a slight case of guilt over being led by a murderer…"_

Shepard felt his head begin to pound in his skull. "_Who the hell is this…?_"

… _crackle… "The price of justice is always paid in blood… and you know all about spilling innocent blood, don't you… skipper…"_

The fire began to course through his veins; he felt as if his veins were full of old-grade gasoline and someone had just ignited it with a match. The muscles in his jaw tightened to a degree he never even thought possible and he felt his self-control melt like butter on Haestrom.

"_Enough!_" He bellowed into the darkness. "_Get out of my head! Get out of my goddamn mind!_"

There were very few times in Shepard's life that he could remember feeling the sense of anger and utter rage and fury that he felt now. As a matter of fact, he could count the number of instances on one hand; for the batarians who had attacked his colony and slaughtered his entire family and his friends back on Mindoir; for Cerberus when he found out that the slaughter of his entire squad by a Thresher Maw on Akuze had been intentional on their part; for Saren when he escaped the nuclear bomb that killed Ashley back on Virmire; and for the Collectors when they had abducted his entire crew and came within a hairbreadth of turning them into paste for the Human-Reaper. Hell, even the Illusive Man hadn't managed to piss him off so much following the destruction of the Collector Base. Now he was being driven insane by a voice belonging to a woman he at one point considered the strongest and most amazing in the entire galaxy.

He just wanted it to stop.

"_Shepard…_"

No… no, not again. It was starting up again- that accusing, mocking voice. Pounding in his skull. Being drilled over and over into his head.

"_Shepard._"

He felt his fist clench and his muscles tighten even more. His jaw was now aching from being clenched so hard and his heartbeat was echoing throughout his ears.

"Shepard!"

Then he felt it. On his shoulder. A hand gripping him tightly. Trying to get past his defences- into his head.

That was all it took.

Shepard instantly spun around, his vision clouded by rage and fury. His hands flew out and found flesh- the neck. He grabbed hold of the individual and spun around, bringing the intruder crashing to the ground. He unconsciously felt his hands tighten as he clamped down hard on the throat of his adversary, trying to cut the accusing voice off before it caused his head to explode.

"Shepard-Commander!"

That voice- it was different. In the back of Shepard's mind, he realized that; a voice that sounded both synthetic and familiar. At the same time he came to the realization that a set of strong arms was holding tightly onto his upper arms and was forcefully attempting to pull him off the individual he was hell bent on killing.

His mind spat out 'Legion'. He found himself blinking and staring down at the figure in front of him; up until that point he had been so blinded with rage he hadn't had a clear look at the individual's face. Now suddenly he found the lights in the corridor becoming substantially brighter and the picture in front of him clearing up completely. He paused and stared down at the now visible face of his adversary.

He froze up and stared down in horror; his hands were wrapped around Miranda's throat and were dangerously close to choking her out. Her face had gone from pale to a bright red and there was both strain and pleading in her eyes as she stared up at him, her muscles tense in her effort to pry his hands off of her throat.

"Miranda!" He immediately released his iron grasp on her. She fell back slightly towards the floor, catching herself and propping herself up on one elbow; her other hand rubbed her throat and she took several deep breaths, trying to get air into her lungs.

Shepard was only partly aware of being released; he had gone largely numb in the realization of what he had done. He vaguely felt the sensation of being pulled back slightly and then let go, and when his brain did recognize it, he turned around and found himself staring into the single optical receptor of Legion. The geth's facial plates regarded him intently. "Shepard-Commander, are you alright?"

"Wha- What?" Breathing heavily, Shepard was largely unaware of his surroundings; the past few minutes had left him in a state of semi-consciousness.

"Your actions suggest you were experiencing a traumatic and violent hallucination- one which prompted you to attack Lawson-Operative."

At the mention of Miranda's name, Shepard immediately turned back towards the ex-Cerberus operative, who was in the midst of slowly getting up onto her feet. He quickly went to help her.

"Miranda!" He gently took hold of her arms and eased her back on her feet. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry! I- I didn't know it was you! I swear to God, I didn't know! If I did, I- I…"

"Shepard." One word was all it took for him to stop talking. He looked up into her face, which was starting to gain back its normal colour, yet he couldn't stop his eyes from resting on the violent red marks on her neck. The marks that _he_ had caused.

"Shepard, it's all right." She held up a hand to stop anything else he was planning to say. "It's alright, I understand. I know you didn't mean it. You were in the middle of a hallucination that likely challenged your instinct and morality and you were not thinking clearly."

Shepard halted, staring at her. "How do you know that?" He took a step towards her. "Miranda- did you experience one as well?"

"It's not important, Shepard. It's over and done with. I'm fine and so are you. We have bigger things to worry about than a few tricks of the mind."

"Miranda-"

"I _said_ it's over and done with!" Miranda said a little more harshly than she intended, her voice sounding more like the old Cerberus business tone she had used in the beginning of their mission to stop the Collectors. She winced at the realization of how that sounded. "I'm sorry." She murmured more quietly. "This mission has been difficult; it's getting on my nerves."

"It's alright." Shepard replied softly. "We're all a little on edge right now. We just can't let it get us."

"Agreed." Miranda said in a stronger voice. "We have to get a move on, commander; the situation has just become a lot worse that we thought."

"Worse?" Shepard's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"We have detected a significant increase in electrical impulses in the level directly above, Shepard-Commander." Legion explained and the two human squad mates turned to face it. "Based on the nature, it is likely that it is the result of an external force acting to disrupt them. Given the current situation on the station, the most probable scenario is that the level is currently under attack."

"Shepard," Miranda interjected, "according to EDI's schematics, the level directly above this one is the apartment complex for the Alpha Level." Her eyes were dead serious as she went on. "_Oriana is staying in that very complex_."

Shepard immediately became aware of the severity of the situation. "Are you sure she's still there?"

"She would never have been moved without someone letting me know." Miranda responded. "For all know, she could be in the path of that psychopath this very instant! We have to get up there right now!"

Shepard turned back towards Legion. "Legion, are you sure that the apartment complex is under attack? There's no doubt that this can be a false alarm?"

"We have already run all the possible scenarios and analyzed the probability of each one occurring." The geth responded. "To us, there is no question that the highest probability is that the complex above is under attack, and that the casualty rate for any non-combatant in that area is very high. We recommend haste in proceeding to the apartments. The elevator to our right will grant us access to the area in question."

Shepard looked over to his right and for the first time noticed the elevator that was designed into the wall facing away from the entrance to the corridor. He had been so absorbed in his very real and very traumatic hallucination that he hadn't even noticed it.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" The commander looked towards his two squad mates. "Let's get up the apartment level!"

Miranda and Legion needed no further encouragement and the three teammates quickly hurried over to the elevator. Shepard was pleasantly surprised when the doors slid open without delay; with the amount of power loss to the area as large as Legion described, he had half-expected the power to be cut, or at the very least severely reduced. The fact that it wasn't was a blessing in disguise; if there was a real possibility that Oriana was in danger, any delay to their ability to get to her would put her in even greater jeopardy, and fortunately that delay wouldn't come in the form of a stalled or broken elevator. In fact, as the squad piled in and Miranda hit the button for the apartment complex, both she and Shepard were surprised as the elevator immediately set upwards for the selected level at a quick pace- quicker, at any rate, than any other elevator they had seen on Omega.

There was relative silence as the trio moved upwards towards the apartment level, aside from the usual clicks and whirls from Legion and the occasional sound of increased breathing from Miranda. Shepard cast a sidelong glance at his XO and noted that although Miranda looked well enough on the outside, there was a certain distant look in her eyes that signalled that she was not entirely there, and likely would not respond instantly if spoken to. There seemed little doubt that the ex-Cerberus operative was both determined to get to her sister and concerned that they were already too late. Miranda almost never shown doubt or worry, and Shepard had only truly seen it in her eyes before a select few times- notably the last time Oriana had been in danger. It was not a look that he enjoyed seeing on her face, and he hoped that there would be no reason for her to have that look when the mission was complete.

_Ding_. The jingle of the elevator bell drew them all out of their trances; the signal that the elevator had reached the apartment level. The trio readied their weapons and stood prepared. There was a click as the doors unlocked and then slid open.

The squad, aiming their weapons forward, cautiously moved out of the elevator and into the preceding area; it became obvious at once that this was the main lobby section. It also became obvious at once that Legion's predictions had been accurate.

The entire area looked like it had been hit with an airstrike just as devastatingly powerful as the one that could hypothetically have struck the area outside Afterlife. In fact, if Shepard didn't know exactly what they were dealing with, that would have been his first guess. The lobby, largely square-like in nature with steel walls, had what seemed to be a reception desk on the right side of the room that took up about half the hallway and obstructed their view of what was beyond; the glass panes of the observation window around it shattered and broken as though someone had sprayed the entire structure with a machine gun of some kind. Pieces of steel and flaming piles were scattered around the floor, indicating that whatever had hit this place had sure had some strength behind it.

Shepard heard Miranda take a sharp intake of breath. He scanned the area with his eyes, looking for any sign of life or any indication that they were not alone. He found none.

What he did find, although from the way they were scattered around the area like discarded Quasar chips he didn't really have to search very hard to find, were numerous bodies laying on the floor. Most of them were mercs- particularly both Blue Suns and Eclipse; different coloured blood was spread out all over the room, in puddles, streaks and sprays. A turian lay not too far from the elevator, his armour ripped and torn and torso completely mangled. Not far away, a dead asari was lying propped up against a wall; Shepard's eyes narrowed as he observed that the merc's Eclipse armour has twisted and smoking- to the point of nearly being melted- as if it had been hit with something red hot. He gripped his gun tighter.

The three teammates came to a halt as the commander raised his hand; his ears tweaked towards the area past the ruined reception desk- he had definitely heard something. Something low and undertone- like low voices.

His assault rifle brandished towards the area in question, Shepard slowly proceeded forward with Miranda and Legion close behind him. As they approached, the sounds grew slightly louder, indicating they were getting closer. The trio took cautious steps, careful to avoid giving themselves away.

Then suddenly, there was a loud cry from just around the corner. The squad stopped in its tracks, weapons aimed towards the sound. A second later there were two blurs that flew past them, landed on the floor and skidded several metres before being stopped by the side wall. It was only then that the squad got a look at what they were; a couple of batarian Blue Suns mercenaries, their armoured torn with long bloody marks across the front cutting right to the flesh. Two pairs of six eyes stared off blindly into space- that stare of death that Shepard knew only too well.

There was another voice from around the corner; human, male and noticeably clearer in nature. "Who the hell are you?" The voice sounded panicked- _very_ panicked. "What the hell do you _want_?"

A few seconds passed. Then came different voice- another one belonging to a human male, but a different one.

"This place is far too much doom and gloom, don't you think? Just like the rest of this station. You mercs seem to have caught the dark, depressing syndrome that affects everyone on this station."

Low, gravelly and with just slight accent- one that, well, brought the words 'tangy' and 'drawl' to Shepard's mind, but was also difficult to pinpoint. He had a vague notion that he had heard a similar one somewhere but he couldn't place it.

The squad carefully took position behind the edge of the reception desk. Shepard took point and using extreme caution peered around the edge to observe the scene.

A male human in a Blue Suns uniform was facing forwards towards the reception desk in the middle of a long hallway. A panicked look on his face, he was holding, not too steadily, a machine pistol in both hands and was aiming it towards an individual in front of him. This individual was facing away from the squad's position, about twenty metres away from them. Though it was difficult to make out any distinct features, the individual was definitely a male human and was wearing a dark brown trench coat, one with a similar colour and style as Thane's, as well as black pants and boots. The low lighting made it difficult to tell, but if Shepard had to guess he'd say their attacker had either black or very dark brown hair that was cut relatively short, but not military style. There was definitely an aura about him- something which made Shepard uneasy. He got an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The merc, who was sweating profusely, looked like he was going to keel over from a heart attack at any given moment. Holding his shaking weapon in both hands, he murmured, "You killed them all. Slaughtered them like animals. You killed all my troops- all my friends. Why? What do you want?" His eyes suddenly widened and when he spoke again, his voice was a loud, broken yell. "_WHAT DO YOU WANT?_"

"You guys here on Omega have far too much stress weighing down on your backs." The stranger said in his gravelly drawl as though the merc hadn't spoken at all. "You want my opinion? You need to _lighten up_…"

What happened next happened so quickly that none of the shore party could tell exactly what happened. From Shepard's point of view, he watched as the stranger quickly raised his right hand towards the merc; there was a burst of what appeared to be a pinkish-reddish light. A second later the merc was flying downwards the hallway, screaming as he went. He landed with a thunderous crash on the floor and went screeching across the tile. After a few metres, the body stopped and lay motionless on the floor. Shepard narrowed his eyes and stared at the distant figure; his heart began beating faster when he saw smoke rising from what was clearly the melted remains of the merc's armour.

That was enough. He looked back and gave his two squad mates a curt nod- time to intervene and put an end to this madness. With a fluid motion he detached himself from the wall and stepped out into the corridor, weapon brandished. His two teammates followed suite. Pointing his weapon at the back of the individual's back, he shouted in an authoritative voice, "Freeze! Don't move! Turn around nice and slow!"

There was a slight pause. Then the stranger slowly turned his head to the left and stared at the group. Shepard did a quick mental scan of the man's face; the individual, definitely human, appeared to be relatively young- about mid to late twenties. He had a relatively pale face and what appeared to be a shaped five o'clock shadow scruff. It would, Shepard had to admit, have been quite a handsome face- except for the look in his dark eyes. There was a sadistic look in them, one that made it look as though they guy was fully capable and willing to kill someone at a moment's notice. It was one that was not quite sane.

Nor was there any sign that the smirk that spread across his lips was any more friendly. The stranger fully turned his body around towards the trio. "_Finally_…" He said unexpectedly. "I've been trying to get in touch with you all _day_!"

Shepard narrowed his eyes. The man's easy tone and choice of words aroused his suspicions. Something about this just wasn't right; he had a disturbing feeling in his gut that something was very much… _off_.

He kept his weapon steady as he said, "Who are you?"

A look of mock realization came over the man's face. "Oh, that's _right_!" He snapped his fingers. "We haven't been properly introduced." He turned his head to the side. "I'm so terribly sorry." As he turned back towards the group he brought his right hand up; a slight flash of his fingers and all of a sudden there appeared between his index and middle ones a white card in the form of what looked to be a regular playing card.

The object in question suddenly was surrounded with a reddish-pink aura, and in that split second Shepard caught a glimpse of the top of the man's index finger; in the place of where a fingernail should have been was a lengthy beige claw, at least two inches long and razor sharp.

The man gave a curt nod. "_My card…_"

There was a sudden twist of his wrist and Shepard caught a glimpse of the aura-engulfed card- flying towards the team at a dangerously fast and accurate pace.

He vaguely remembered Miranda shouting a warning to him- followed by his unconscious action of flinging himself to the side. There was a bright flash of pinkish light and the ground seemed to shake beneath him.

And then- _darkness_…

**A/N: Well, what do you think so far? Please read and review!**

**FYI: The next chapter will contain both a lot of action and a lot of angst- just as a warning for those of you who might need a heads up…**


	12. If You Could Look Evil In The Eye

**If You Could Look**** Evil in the Eye **

Shepard heard a faint ringing in his ears; the sounds of flickering flames and sparking electricity seemed muted and dulled in the back of his mind. His eyes slid open and he could see the orange flickers reflecting off the walls. In his ears he could hear a dull, far-off thumping and he realized it was his heartbeat, racing away faster than normal.

Through the pounding he heard something else in his head. A voice. _His_ voice. His own voice calling out in his own mind. It was screaming out something- something over and over. A single phrase.

_Miranda_.

His eyes immediately opened all the way. His muscles reacted before his brain fully realized what they were doing and he found himself pushing up on his forearms to get himself into a sitting position. The dull pounds and faint noises slowly focused and narrowed out before evolving into clarity; the flickering of flames and sparkling of cut electricity grew sharper and sharper until they returned to their clear-sounding normal selves.

Shepard swivelled his head around and observed that he was lying a few feet away from the corner leading to the hallway. Out of the corner of his eye, he detected movement to his left and noticed Legion picking itself up off the floor. A few feet away lay the figure of Miranda; Shepard momentarily froze up when he saw that she wasn't moving and was just about to race over to check to see if she was alright when she lifted her head and opened her eyes. A wave of relief swept through him.

"Miranda?"

The ex-Cerberus operative's eyes widened slightly as the sound of the voice calling her name and she turned her head swiftly in the direction of the sound. Her hand automatically grasped for her weapon which was lying at her side. Her eyes focused on the area where the voice had come from- focusing on Shepard. She felt a large amount of fear and tension drain from her; when she had seen that explosion go off right near him she had thought that he… that he had been…

A new sound distracted her attention, as well as that of her two teammates; footsteps striding from around the corner. Shepard quickly looked around for his assault rifle and spotted it just a few metres behind where he lay. He rolled across the ground and snatched it up. Miranda and Legion soon followed his example and quickly made their way towards him. All three of them aimed their guns in the direction that they'd been thrown, forming a line across the wide corridor.

There was a slight pause. Then in a sudden flash there was a dark blur just in front of them and the figure _leapt_- literally- out of the other corridor like a huge cat and landed crouched down and head down in front of them. A pink aura surrounded his body for just a few seconds like biotic power before fading away; he slowly stood up and raised his head to face the trio, a somewhat… _gleeful_ smirk on his face.

"Took you long enough to get here." He said in his oily drawl. "I was beginning to run out of things to destroy and people to kill." He spread his arms. "You're a damn hard man to get a hold of; I thought the galaxy's greatest hero would have a special emergency call button whenever a new crisis pops. A crisis like, uh…" He put on a mock face of concentration, "the entire station of Omega being torn apart by gang activity."

Shepard's face remained impassive, but inside him something stirred. "It was you who sent me that personal message pretending to be from Aria." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes, and very nicely done if I do say so myself; her extranet and personal account security is unbelievably dismal. Besides, someone had to take her off her high-horse; Aria's not quite as high and mighty as she believes herself to be. She sees her money and her influence as shields against any attack against her. Well," he grinned, "what's her precious money and influence doing for her now, huh?" He gestured with his arms. "Look at this! Look at all this delightful chaos and destruction! I don't feel Her Majesty's wrath and might now!" He let out a curt laugh.

"Well, you certainly got her attention." Shepard replied tersely, keeping his gun trained on the trench-coated figure. "I think we can pretty much guarantee you've torn the only rule of Omega completely apart."

"Undoubtedly." The man smirked. "And that's a nice little bonus. But hers was not the attention I was hoping to attract." He shook his head. "No. The attention I was hoping to get was yours."

"Hold on a second." Miranda interjected. "Are you telling us that all this… madness, death and destruction- it was to get _Shepard's attention_?" Shepard did not miss the slight strain and edge in her voice as she spoke, as well as something else; the very brief sign of nervousness and unease that would have been easily missed had he not been listening closely.

The man smiled- and not a nice smile. "Worked, didn't it? A bit surprisingly, I think. You're an experienced soldier, aren't you Shepard? Surely you of all people can smell a decoy a mile away, even if that decoy is costing the lives of countless 'innocent'," he made air quotes, "people. But then again," he shrugged, "maybe that's a good thing. The one sure-fire way to get the great Commander Shepard to come running is to cause the good civilians to scream."

Shepard felt something stir inside him again. He unconsciously flicked the switch that activated the inferno ammo for his assault rifle and replied, trying to keep his voice calm, "Well, you got my attention. Now the big question is: do you want to keep it? A lot of people do things to get my attention but afterwards find that they don't really want it any more."

"Oh, but that's the beauty of it." The man replied easily without the slightest hint of intimidation. "I already have exactly what I want and there's not a damn thing you can do that can reverse that."

Miranda's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the sound of that statement. It sounded too confident- too self-assured. But her desire to know more about that was cut off by Shepard's voice.

"You didn't answer my original question." The commander asked firmly, keeping his weapon raised. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

Another small smile creased the man's face. His cast downwards for just a brief moment and when he began talking again, it was not in the way the squad expected.

"You know, as far back as I can remember," he said in a low drawl, raising his eyes up off the floor, "all I've ever wanted to do was travel the galaxy. Go new places, meet new people…" His face was now largely straight with just a tiny hint of a smile as he continued in a completely at-ease tone, "_And then kill them_."

Shepard's brows furrowed while Miranda's eyes flickered; that was not the type of explanation they were expecting. In fact, it sounded a lot more like a promo than an explanation; a promo of himself.

The man nodded ever so slightly. "So I became a mercenary."

"You're not a mercenary." Miranda replied bitterly. "You're a blood-thirsty terrorist who enjoys maiming people for no reason."

"Really?" The man cast an interested gaze at her. "That's funny. The way I've heard it, just a little while ago you would have done the exact same thing; kill a lot of aliens, maybe a few humans get caught in the path, but who cares? Objective complete right? And then deliver your report to the all-mighty Illusive Man. What was going to be the title of this little op, huh? 'Mission Accomplished'? Little premature, I think. This is not going to be your usual simple Cerberus victory… Miranda."

This time it was Miranda's brows that furrowed slightly. A suspicious look came into her eyes and her jaw tensed up ever so slightly. "What the hell are you talking about?" Her voice, though calm and relatively normal had another slight edge to it; Shepard noticed out of the corner of his eye that her grip on her machine pistol had increased noticeably.

The man merely blinked and gave a tiny smile. "My name is Jackson Creed." He said as though no interruption between then and his little promo. He gave another small nod. "And I love what I do."

"Well, I hope you've enjoyed it." Shepard replied gruffly. "Because your little joyride ends right here. Now we can either do this the easy way and you can come quietly or we can do this the hard way. And just in case you're thinking about doing this the hard way, take a good look at your situation. You're outnumbered and outgunned. If I were you, I'd be thinking about becoming a little bit more peaceful."

"Oh," Creed's eyes flashed, "where's the fun in _that_?"

A bright aura burst all over his body; Shepard and Miranda both squinted in response to the sudden light. It was identical to the aura that surrounded biotic users when they were about to unleash an attack, except instead of blue, this light was bright pink- almost red. It signified something to the _Normandy_'s shore party- something was dangerously amiss about this individual.

"What I want," the man said lowly, grinning widely, "is your _fear_…"

That caught Shepard off guard. _Our fear? What the hell does he mean by that?_

"When this is over," Creed continued as the light continued to build in intensity, "your fear is going to show itself. Your iron exteriors will come crashing down. Your darkest terrors in the deepest places of your heart will come exploding out of your body. Well," he cocked his head, "for one of you anyway…"

And once again Shepard was caught off guard. As he kept his weapon raised towards their adversary, he couldn't help but let his mind wander. _What's he talking about? Is this some kind of mind game? What does he mean 'for one of us'?_

Another smirk crossed Creed's face. He extended his fingers on his right hand; the beige claws, which Shepard guessed must have been the weapons responsible for the carving up of the bodies they'd seen, slowly extended at least two or three inches longer than they were previously.

The smirk gave way to a wide, maniacal grin. He leaned in ever so slightly; in that split second there was a hint of red that flashed though his eyes as he murmured just under his breath:

"_Let's play…"_

**A/N: I apologize for making this chapter shorter than it was supposed to be, but felt I had to break it up to keep everything flowing. I PROMISE that the next chapter will have much action and angst. Please review and send me feedback!**


	13. Tragedy

**Tragedy**

Shepard barely had time to react before Creed's body lit up in a bright pink; his entire form was engulfed in a biotic-like aura, much larger and brighter than any biotic user he had seen. There was a sudden movement as he shot forward his right hand and all of a sudden the commander found himself being lifted up off his feet and flying backwards. He felt himself slam heavily back down against the ground and a wave of pain went shooting through his body. His hand automatically increased its grip tighter around his weapon in a natural reflex to stop it from flying out of his grasp. He heard two more resounding thumps around him and one grunt of pain and quickly realized that his two teammates had just suffered the same fate. He saw Miranda out of the corner of his left eye try to sit up agonizingly while on his right he caught sight of Legion's optic receptor looking around, trying to re-stabilize its range of vision.

"Enjoy your first taste of reality, Shepard?" The commander's attention immediately focused back in front of him at the sound of Creed's voice before him; the man stood there, still surrounded by the pink aura with the small smile on his face. "Personally, from my end, it's looking damn sweet!" He gave another chuckle.

"Is that right?" Shepard said as coolly as he could manage, picking himself up off the floor. "That's funny; I was just about to say the same thing. Let's see which one of us still thinks that when this is over!"

He raised his assault rifle towards Creed and pulled the trigger; a burst of fire exploded from the barrel. On either side of him, Miranda and Legion did the same and three bursts of rapid fire were sent towards the self-proclaimed 'mercenary'.

Something much unexpected happened. Normally when a soldier or merc was being shot, they had at least one layer of protection between themselves and the rounds being fired at them, such as a shield or armour, or in some cases both. This usually posed a mere small challenge to Shepard and his squad, as they were all highly adept at taking down such barriers with ease. After that it was a simple matter of simply keeping up the fire until the opponent fell, either by weapon damage or certain powers. And never in any of their lives had they met an enemy that could pose to them too much trouble.

However, this time was different. At the moment the trio started firing, the pink aura surrounding Creed suddenly grew richer and darker- much darker; darker to the point of it almost being red. The bright glow that had been present in his eyes lit up again, giving him a slightly demonic look. The rounds fired came up against the barrier and promptly vanished. There was no rebounding back towards them of falling to the ground; they merely evaporated into thin air.

Shepard stopped firing, his brows furrowed just slightly in confusion. On his right side Legion was the first to catch on to what was happening and ceased firing as well. Miranda abruptly ceased her machine pistol firing, raising her head and staring point blank in confusion at their adversary.

Creed's mouth split into a large toothy grin, revealing slightly-enlarged canines and a low-sounding chuckle emerged from the depths of his throat. The glow in his eyes faded, returning them to their normal cold, sadistic look but the pink aura surrounding him remained in its current state.

"Your determination and persistence are truly heart-warming," he said in a voice where each word was building in intensity, "but your weapons can't help you. They're just," he gave a wide-eyed sadistic grin, "more power for me to feed on and use!"

Shepard caught the bright pink flash in Creed's eyes; just a split second but it was there- a distinct sign of danger. Eyes widening, he shouted, "Look out! Get behind cover!"

Just a moment too late.

Shepard saw Creed's arm extending; there was a blinding pink explosive flash and all of a sudden his eyes were filled with nothing but white light and scattered black dots. There was a distinct ringing in his ears, blanketing and blocking out every other sound in the room. He blinked furiously, trying in desperation to clear his vision to see where his adversary was. He brought his weapon up with one hand in the direction where he believed their enemy to be.

He felt a sudden impact on his right wrist, like a palm striking the vital area right under his wrist. His nerves reacted automatically; his fingers released their grip on the handle of the weapon which went clattering to the ground. The light faded in his line of sight, and as his vision cleared the first thing he saw was the smirking face of Creed; a split second later he felt a violent blow to the right side of his face and his head spun to the left from the force of the backhand's blow. His vision temporarily was filled with little black dots dancing along his line of sight; barely a second later, he felt a forceful blow to his abdomen followed by numerous sharp pains in the same area. Letting out a cry of pain, he automatically doubled over, where he caught sight of the damage done; Creed's claws had raked across his armour and had not only penetrated it, but had cut through it like hot knives through butter. Small rivers of blood leaked through the wounds, barely visible against his jet black armour but visible nonetheless; they coincided exactly where the claw wounds were. Shepard caught his breath in his throat and froze for a second; now he understood what those blade wounds on the armour and flesh of the mercs and security guards they had come across had been caused by. A forceful palm was slammed into his chest; coupled with the red biotic power, the blow sent the commander flying backwards, landing with a crash and skidding backwards along the floor for another few feet.

Immediately following that, Creed struck out to his left; a bright punk aura surrounded the nearby Legion, immobilizing the geth and preventing it from launching any form of attack. Creed flung his arm in the same direction as the one Shepard had flown in, sending Legion flying through the air and slamming against a wall. The geth crashed to the floor behind a metal crate, shielded for a moment. Even though no one else could see it, Legion's optical receptor was looking all over its platform, observing any potential damage and trying to analyze the nature of the attack afflicted upon it.

_Running diagnostics. Minor heat damage done to front of mobile platform. Uploading repair command._

Miranda turned her machine pistol back on Creed and let loose with another round of fire. The rounds knocked against the red biotic barrier surrounding him but didn't penetrate at all. Instead of hurting the man, it merely gave him another maniacal grinning look. There was a blur of movement in front of her and all of sudden Creed was standing not two feet away. In a rapid gesture, he had pressed his claw tips against her upper chest just below her throat and the aura around his hand started glowing a deep red. There was a sizzling sound, similar to the one she had heard on Haestrom when she had come into direct contact with the destabilizing sunny areas and her shields began to fry. Suddenly, her suit's alert system began to beep and she looked down to see that the red biotics were quickly burning through her shields towards her uniform. With a sudden motion, he extended all his fingers outwards; Miranda felt at the same time both the sharp pains of the claws raking across her flesh and a burning sensation in the same area. There was a flash of red light and the next thing Miranda knew she was flying backwards across the room towards where Shepard had been flung. A wave of pain soared through her ribcage as she slammed against the hard floor.

"Ooh!" Creed declared intensely with his maniacal grin. "_That_ hurt, didn't it?"

Gritting her teeth in pain, she did her best to ignore both it and Creed's voice and instead twisted her head around to get a view of her surroundings. She could see Shepard rolling behind an upturned steel table; she quickly scrambled across the floor and ducked behind it right beside him.

Shepard leaned with his back against the table, taking in a couple of deep breaths. Pulling out his heavy pistol from his side, he cast a look at Miranda. "You okay?"

Miranda was about to answer in the affirmative when she caught sight of the bloody wounds on the torso of the commander. "Shepard, you're bleeding!"

"So are you."

She cast a quick glance down at her chest, observing the cuts in her uniform and the tiny trickles of blood barely visible against her black outfit. "It's nothing." She said quickly. "It's a minor wound; I'll heal quickly."

"So will I." Shepard responded seriously, and Miranda saw the knowing yet concerned look in his eye.

"I'll be fine, Shepard." She replied a little more softly. "My advanced healing system will take care of it. That's not what concerns me. How much longer will you be able to keep this up with those injuries?"

"Long enough. I've dealt with worse injuries in my life; this won't slow me down." He cast a glance over the top of the table as much as he dared. "But I really don't think this guy's in much of a talking mood."

"Is it really that obvious?" Miranda's tone was only half sarcasm; the other half had a slight joking part to it- if only to keep her concerns at bay. "I'm open to any suggestions as to how to deal with him- one that preferably doesn't involve getting hit like that again."

Shepard's brow furrowed as he tried to think up a strategy. It was obvious the usual tactics weren't going to be of much use here; the merc's red biotic shield- or whatever the hell that aura around him was- seemed to not only be totally resistant to weapons damage, but also have a seemingly inexhaustible lifespan on it. No matter how many rounds they threw at it, it didn't seem to be weakening in the slightest. They had to come up with something else- and fast.

Then an idea came to him. Looking towards Miranda, he asked, "How's your Warp ability right now?"

Miranda looked at him slightly curiously, but quickly understood where he was going. "Strong enough that I should be able to rip him apart if we could get that field around him down." She gave a small understanding smile.

"Just what was on my mind." Shepard gave his own little grin in turn. "The only problem now is how to get that barrier down. I think it's obvious bullets aren't working. In fact, I think they were only making him more powerful."

A series of explosions rocked the side of the area where the group was holed up; more of the white playing cards surrounded by the red biotic aura slammed into the wall just above them, sending pieces of metal down towards them. Shepard and Miranda both shielded their faces from the brief onslaught with their forearms, the debris bouncing safely off their armour or biotic field. From the area that the attacks came from emanated Creed's maniacal, taunting voice:

"_Still think you can beat me_?"

Shepard cast a glance in the general direction of the 'merc'. "Guy loves the sound of his own voice, doesn't he?"

"I'm looking forward to cutting it off permanently." Miranda responded.

Shepard allowed himself a split second chuckle, despite the pain in his abdomen, before returning his mind to trying to come up with a way to down the biotic field surround Creed. He knew that he had to come up with something fast; otherwise the next attacks may not be so gentle.

"Shepard-Commander."

Shepard turned his head to his left, where Legion was still crouched behind the metal crate a few yards away, holding on to its assault rifle. "If we may offer a suggestion?"

"Oh, why start now Legion?" The commander shouted back. "I was just starting to get in the mood sitting here listening to that noise!"

The joke, however, seemed to fall flat on the geth, who merely replied in the same mechanical voice, "If we were to program our combat drone to maximum explosive capacity with an added anti-biotic barrier, it would increase significantly the chances of temporarily lowering the defences of the target. The barrier surrounding him has the same signatures of a regular biotic barrier, indicating that we have the capabilities to neutralize for a few seconds. This would allow damage to be done to the target without the possibility of contributing to his strength."

Shepard stared at the geth for a moment, turning it over in his mind. Then he turned to Miranda. "How quickly would you be able to get a Warp in after his biotic barrier is down?"

"Right afterwards. Just give the order and I'll take him down; you know what my abilities are."

Shepard _did_ know that. "Good to hear." He turned back in the direction of the geth. "Alright Legion, do it; set your drone with the capacity to take out that barrier. When it's down Miranda," he looked back at the ex-Cerberus operative, "hit him with the Warp with everything you got; don't give him a second to recover. You two got it?"

Both Legion and Miranda gave short, serious nods. "Acknowledged."

"Understood, commander."

Shepard made a motion with his hand in the direction. "Go Legion, do it!"

The geth immediately activated its omni-tool and the white glowing sphere appeared over its arm. "Activating combat drone. Setting to explosive capacity with anti-biotic barrier upgrade."

The drone quickly moved out from behind the crate and headed in the direction where the attacks had come from. Peering around the edge of the table, Shepard observed as it made its way towards the perpetrator; Creed, standing about fifteen yards away, cocked his head at the sight of it.

"Sending in the drones to have all the fun and do your job, Shepard?" Another card appeared in his hand and was quickly surrounded by the pink biotic aura. "Too bad for you; I'm just getting started!"

With a quick flick of his wrist, he flung the charged card at the drone; it exploded on impact, taking out the drone's shields and penetrating right to its core instantly. Unfortunately for him, this also activated the self-destruct module and he was standing not five yards away from it. The blast engulfed the merc in the anti-biotic barrier, and Shepard saw that Legion had been right; the red aura surrounding him instantly vanished. Creed stumbled back a foot; even though he did not seem to be physically harmed, there was no doubt that his indestructible barrier was now down.

The commander reacted on pure instinct; knowing that the window of opportunity was only temporary and very brief, he shouted out, "Now, Miranda!"

Miranda was already leaping up, her biotic implant humming at the base of her skull as she felt the warm, powerful feeling course through her. Her body was soon covered with blue biotic power and the familiar feeling of charging up for an attack coursed through her wrist into her hand.

As she looked up towards Creed, she saw him look straight into her eyes, matching her with his own dark ones. When he did, a sudden sickening feeling slammed through her like a cruiser going FTL speed- a horrible feeling that hit her square in the heart and then travelled to her stomach. It was only brief- lasting barely a second- but she could feel it; a deep cold, sickening, _familiar_ feeling in the depths of her heart.

She felt something else pass through her a split second later- determination. Determination to do what needed to be done. She felt the biotic power gather in her hand and with a single motion she had jumped over the table and landed in a slightly crouched position.

"Now let's finish you off!" She threw her hand forward towards Creed; there was a burst of light and a brief blue aura surrounded the 'merc'. Creed stumbled back several feet, almost losing his balance, before bending over with his arms hanging loosely by his sides, taking numerous deep breaths heavily in and out of his lungs.

Shepard and Legion quickly came out of their covers and lined up beside Miranda, their weapons aimed at the 'merc'. Miranda quickly pulled out her own machine pistol and followed their example.

For a few seconds, Creed's position did not change; he remained bent over, taking in deep breaths, his head bent towards the ground. While he was clearly still alive, it seemed the Warp had taken a massive part of his strength away. The trio remained still, keeping their weapons locked onto him.

With an extra deep breath, Creed slowly lifted his head and looked at them. His dark eyes seem to take in all three of the group, although Miranda seemed to feel the intensity of the look more than the others. The 'merc' took another deep breath, his face largely unreadable.

Then the darkness in his eyes gave way to light- bright, red light that took up all of both his irises. A bright red aura, far more vivid and intense than the previous ones surrounded his entire body. His mouth cracked into an especially large grin and a not-so low chuckle emerged from his throat.

Shepard narrowed his eyes in confusion and cast a sideways glance at Miranda; the ex-Cerberus operative seemed just as in the dark as he was, with a look that ranged between stunned and confused on her face.

The grin still on his face, Creed cocked his head ever so slightly. He said, his voice still a low drawl, "You didn't think it was going to be that easy, _did you_?"

Without waiting for a reply, the 'merc' suddenly slammed his hand into the ground, creating a pink biotic shockwave to quickly move across the floor in front of him. Shepard, Miranda and Legion were all hit in a matter of seconds; though none of them actually fell to the floor, all of them were caught off balance and stumbled. It barely lasted more than a moment, but by the time Shepard caught his balance and looked back up it was too late to react; a large ball of red biotic power slammed right into his chest. He felt the massive pressure on his chest knock him backwards and he went flying back into the table from which he had just leapt out from behind.

"The more you hit me," Creed replied, slowly advancing towards the squad, "the _stronger_ I get!" He unleashed another biotic blast, this one hitting Legion squarely in the chest and nearly knocking the geth onto its back. "Your anger and rage are going to be your downfall!"

He sent another red blast towards Legion, this time knocking the geth's legs out from under it and sending it crashing to the floor. Shepard picked himself up off the floor and fumbled to grab his pistol; even though his armour had absorbed most of the blow, he still felt the pain radiate through his abdomen when he moved and as a result his movements were slower than he intended. By the time he had gotten his pistol up and aimed at the 'merc', Creed had caught the movement and in a flash had flicked his wrist in Shepard's direction; a wave of biotics passed through the Spectre's body, instantly paralyzing his muscles and preventing him from doing anything. The commander fell to a crumpled heap on the floor. He tried to move to get up again but he found he couldn't so much as twitch a finger.

Miranda's eyes passed from the figures of her teammates on the floor to the perpetrator of the attacks. For a brief moment, her eyes locked with Creed's; the merc, with a sideways glance, gave a small smile and right after that Miranda felt it again- that sickening sense in her stomach.

Then Creed reared his arm back and flung it forwards towards her, sending a constant stream of red biotic power directly in her direction. Miranda quickly brought up her hands and put up a biotic barrier of her own. The two sets of biotics collided, one red and one blue, creating a purple light right where they met. Creed's red biotics were mere centimetres from Miranda's face, while Miranda struggled to keep her own biotics up as the only thing between her and the onslaught of the 'merc's attack.

But there was a distinct difference between them. While Creed barely moved at all and kept up both his single-handed attack and an unchanging knowing look on his face without any difficulty, Miranda could already feel her forearms shaking from the pressure. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead as she desperately tried to maintain the barrier, but it was obvious that if one of them was going to crack it would be her first. The stress that her arms were under was already starting to cause them to scream in pain and she could feel her advantage slip away second by second.

Then, just in that split second, she looked up into his face again; the 'merc's lips gave the slightest twitch upwards into a slight knowing smile. A second later, his fingers twitched upwards; Miranda felt the barrier break and a burning sensation spread across her chest. She felt her feet leave the ground and a brief sense of weightlessness- as though she were floating freely through space. A second later, her back slammed against the wall; pain soared throughout her body as she crashed, stunned, back to the floor.

Creed's eyes lingered on Miranda for a moment before slowly moving over to Shepard's position. The commander gritted his teeth; even though the feeling was starting to come back into his muscles, it was still a struggle to make any attempt at movement. He fought to push himself up to his hands and knees, glaring at the 'merc' straight in the face. Creed merely gave a knowing, slightly smiling look back in return.

From behind Creed, Shepard caught a glimpse of movement, and a second later a human wearing dark armour jogged out behind him carrying an assault rifle. He promptly stopped and aimed the weapon towards the trench-coated figure. Without so much as looking back Creed produced another white card between his fingers- except this one had no aura around it at all. Without turning around, he flicked his wrist in the direction of the man; the card spun through the air like an old-fashioned shuriken and hit the merc right in the throat. There was a slicing sound as one of its dull short ends cut through the unprotected flesh; the merc stood dead upright, his gun dropping from his hand before he fell backwards- his heart stopping before he hit the ground.

The small smirking smile back on his face, Creed observed the trio, all of whom were still on the ground making valiant efforts to get up.

"How pathetically disappointing." He drawled, shaking his head. "And here I was thinking that the alleged 'biggest group of badasses in the galaxy' was actually going to give me a challenge. How disappointing. Well, no matter." He turned and began to slowly walk away from them, continuing to speak while he did so.

"I've already accomplished what I came here to accomplish. This was just a small extra treat for me; a chance to show Omega what _true_ chaos is all about. To bring out people's worst nightmares."

He stopped and turned around. "And to bring out everyone's _fear_…"

Shepard shot him a look as he painfully got to his feet; his muscles were getting stronger but he still couldn't move as quickly as he wanted to. Around him, Miranda and Legion were doing the same thing.

Creed shook his head. "Nice little strategy you cooked out here. Bring your whole team aboard the station and then divide them up to make sure they don't risk missing catching Omega's new architect. Very ingenious. After all," a strange knowing look came into his eye, "even I can't pinpoint where a single person is on this whole station."

His eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch and he cocked his head ever so slightly to the side. "_Can I?_"

Shepard stared at him, wondering what he meant. Subconsciously he gripped his pistol in his hand but couldn't seem to make his fingers work the way he wanted them to. His hand didn't seem to want to raise his weapon in the direction he intended- towards the trench-coated 'mercenary'.

The small knowing look on his face turned into a wide, maniacal grin. He let out a curt but loud laugh that vibrated throughout the entire area; Miranda felt an ice-cold shiver run up her spine. Creed quickly raised both his arms out to his sides, palms facing the ground. There was a burst of red light that filled the room; Shepard and Miranda both automatically held up their arms and turned away to shield their eyes.

The light only lasted a couple of seconds. When it faded, the trio in the squad looked back to the spot where the 'merc' had been standing; there was not a trace of him in sight.

Shepard's eyes narrowed in confusion, and then passed all over the area. Miranda immediately and instinctively brought up her weapon, ready to use at a moment's notice. But there was not a sign of their target anywhere.

"Where the hell did he go?" She asked Shepard.

The commander quickly brought up his pistol and scanned the area, looking for any sign of the 'merc' or where he might have gone. Nothing gave him the slightest indication of either of those. It was as if he had just vanished into thin air.

"Shepard-Commander." The two humans' attention was drawn by Legion's tin voice. The geth was making its way over towards the body of the dead human who had been killed just moments before. His body was currently lying in the mouth of a hallway that had until now gone undetected. Shepard and Miranda moved quickly to join up with Legion, the commander pausing to pick up his assault rifle on the way.

The squad come up towards the young blond man's body; unlike almost all the other mercs they had come across, this one's armour bore no indication of any gang. Shepard crouched down beside the body and examined the wound in his throat; the card was still lodged in it. Fingering it with his gloved hand, he could tell that it was just a normal playing card- an ace of spades to be exact- but it had clearly been thrown with the skill and accuracy to turn it into a deadly weapon- even without being biotically charged.

Then he noticed something on the man's right shoulder. Reaching out, he rolled the body over slightly to bring the area in question into the flickering light. As soon as he did he saw that he had been right- there was an insignia on the shoulder of his armour.

The insignia of Cerberus.

"Shepard?" The commander looked up to see Miranda staring down at him, an increasingly worried and concerned look on her face.

Shepard stood back up. "He's a Cerberus operative." He explained. "Probably one of the ones designated for security on this level."

"If he is," Miranda replied in a serious fashion, "then he's one of the ones assigned to guard Oriana's family. There are no other Cerberus personnel stationed on Omega. He must have come directly from the apartment they were staying at. Why would he leave it?"

The question seemed to hang in the air as the three teammates slowly turned their heads and stared down the hallway. It was only half-lit up, the lights extending only to the first part of the area. The second back half was dim and shrouded with poor lighting.

"What was that he said about 'pinpointing a single person on the whole station'?" Miranda's voice seemed to trail off at the end, and anyone who was listening could hear the worry and hesitation in her tone.

Shepard followed her gaze down the hallway. He gripped his rifle tighter to his body."We need to get down there." He took a strong step towards the entrance. "Now."

The commander took off jogging down the hall with his two squad mates at his side. There were no more words that passed between any of them- only an increasing sense of urgency. As they jogged along out into the less well-lit section of the hallway, they could see more bodies- some mauled, some burned- of armoured humans, all bearing the Cerberus logo on them. Though he didn't look at her, Shepard could tell that Miranda was getting more and more worried; the increased pace in her stride and breathing was quickly melting away anything that remained of her usual impassive exterior. And the further they went, the more laboured it got.

Miranda felt her heart beating faster and faster inside her chest; her feet subconsciously increased their speed along with it. Something in the pit of her stomach was telling her that something was not right- that something was horribly wrong. As the feeling lingered within her, her attention was caught by something on the left-hand wall.

She felt her heart skip a beat; on the left-hand side of the wall was a large Cerberus symbol imprinted onto it. Across the symbol, cut right into the solid steel, were _four long claw marks_….

Almost unconsciously, she found herself slowing down and staring at the markings- at the way they had sliced right deep right into the wall and had been dragged right across the insignia of the organization that she had for so long belonged to. She felt her hand leave her side and her fingers brush against the indentations.

_Creed walked slowly along the hallway towards the end. His face creased with a small smile, even though his dark eyes did not move; never widened, never __narrowed. Slowly he raised his left arm towards the wall; the claws on his hand extended. Carefully and precisely, he brought his hand towards the wall right where the insignia of Cerberus was positioned; the claws cut right through the steel. He dragged them across the wall, cutting right across the symbol; a horrible screeching sound echoed throughout her brain- like rusty nails being dragged across the wall._

Miranda stepped back with a jolt. Her heart began pounding in her chest again and she found herself backing up away from the wall. She ended up backing right into Shepard, who had paused when he noticed what his XO was doing; when she turned to face him, he couldn't miss the thin layer of sweat that now covered the forehead of her pale face.

"What is it, Miranda?" He noted with concern. She didn't respond- merely staring back at him with a- he would have to almost call it _haunted_- look on her face. He leaned in closer and murmured under his breath, "_Miri_?"

The use of that name, which he had only used once with her before during the journey towards the Omega 4 relay, seemed to catch her attention. She blinked once and took a deep breath. "We have to get to Oriana's apartment Shepard." She brandished her weapon. "We need to get there _now_." She took off at an increased pace along the corridor with Shepard and Legion close behind. 

It wasn't long before they reached the end of the hallway, with a single sliding door in the wall. The walls, despite being partly clouded in dim light, were clearly covered with sprays of blood, the end results of an attack that had left the two dead Cerberus operatives, one male and one female, lying mauled near them. They corresponded only too well with the fact that the lock light on the door was green, signalling it was wide open.

"No." Miranda said under breath. She shook her head. "No, no, this _can't_ be right."

Shepard subconsciously tightened his grip on his weapon as he pressed on the green light. As the door slid open with a _swoosh_, all three prepared themselves for what was inside, even though two of them had a sickening feeling that they already knew what was on the other side.

As they stepped through the open door, Shepard heard Miranda come to a dead stop and take a sharp intake of breath.

The entire apartment was pretty much destroyed; across the area, furniture was smashed to pieces, including the large dining table about fifteen yards in front of the door; just across from that wreckage on the far side of the room the main window that overlooked the outside of the station was covered with spider-web cracks all throughout- the window wasn't broken, but it looked like it was barely holding up, with something obviously having been slammed repeatedly against it. But the most disturbing image in the entire place was the fact that the floor and walls were soaked with a red substance- human blood…

"No…" Miranda brushed past her two comrades into the apartment. She came to a dead halt behind the sofa in the living room just to the right of the dining room before slowly kneeling down. Hurrying over beside her, Shepard could see that there were two dead bodies lying right next to her- not security personnel but civilians; their bodies were smoking and burned, the charred flesh a clear indication that they had been hit with something really hot. Shepard had a distinct feeling that he knew all too well what had caused it.

"They're Oriana's family.' The commander turned his head towards Miranda, who was taking deep breaths as she stared down at the bodies. Shepard turned his attention back to them and realized that she was right; even though he had only seen them briefly back on Illium, he had remembered that particular moment quite vividly when he had seen them with Oriana. He could distinctly remember the look on Oriana's face when she stared back at her older, new-found sister- it had been one of pride and happiness. Then he remembered Miranda's face when she had stared back at her; it had been the first time that he had seen the ex-Cerberus operative wear anything other than an indifferent business look. It had been the first time she had started looking like a human instead of an emotionless AI. It had been the first time he had seen the real Miranda.

And now the very same family of the sister of the woman he cared so deeply for was lying dead on the floor.

Miranda abruptly and unexpectedly got up and started to head towards the back of the apartment.

"Oriana?" She called out. When she got no answer, she gripped her gun tighter in her hand. "Oriana, are you here? It's Miranda. Oriana?"

Still no answer. In her mind she went over what the Illusive Man had given her in the report he sent her after Oriana's family had been transferred; there were tow bedrooms in the back- one for her surrogate parents and one for her. Hers was on the right hand side. She approached the door in question, her heart pounded in her chest. The sliding door quickly opened up with a whoosh and she stepped inside. The room was pretty standard- just a bed, a desk with a link and computer and a dresser; practical and organized, just like what she would have done. She let her eye travel over the room; across the walls, the furniture, the floor…

_Across the motionless body lying on the floor right in front of her about ten yards away…_

Every single sound and motion in the room instantly stopped. Miranda felt her heart skip several beats in a row. Her blood froze in her veins. She felt her fingers subconsciously let go of her weapon; it clattered to the ground beside her. She didn't hear it.

She took one stiff, shaking step towards the form. Then another. Another. Within moments, she had reached the form lying on the ground, lying sideways facing away from the door. There was no mistake about it; it was definitely the body of a human. She could feel her eyes begin to moisten and tear up and her breath beginning to come in short, jerky breaths as she slowly kneeled beside the body. With a trembling hand, she reached out and gently touched the still warm figure, turning it over onto its back.

Oriana's pretty dead face stared unblinkingly at her. Her clothes, the same ones she had when Miranda had last seen her on Illium, were torn and shredded, her body covered with bloody claw marks and her clothes soaked in blood. The blood spatters stretched up all the way to her neck and face. When Miranda's eyes slowly and painfully made their way up to her face, she saw the true extent of what had happened.

On either side of the corners of her mouth, directed upwards in a curved, slightly jagged fashion, were singular claw marks, giving her face a distinct Glasgow smile.

Miranda was aware of Shepard and Legion's presence as they slowly entered the room but she didn't turn to them. She didn't call to them. She didn't acknowledge them. All of her attention was focused on Oriana- the sister she had only recently come to know personally and love. The sister who was so alike her and yet so different- except in a much better way. There was no question in Miranda's mind that whatever accomplishments in her life that she could claim as her own, none of them would ever make her a better person than Oriana.

And now Oriana was dead.

Tears streamed down Miranda's face as she gently picked up the upper half of her body and cradled it with her left arm. The tears landed onto Oriana's blood-stained dress. Gently, she raised her free hand and gently closed her sister's eyes. Her face now looked somewhat at peace; if it weren't for the horrendous wounds all over her face and body, she might just as easily have been sleeping.

Miranda felt her jaw tighten. She felt the muscles pull and strain in her face. She felt the tears sting her eyes until she could barely see in front of her. But most of all, she felt pain; pain in her heart, pain in her soul. It was the most excruciating pain she had ever felt- worse than any bullet or biotic attack could hurt. It was a pain that came from within- one that couldn't be dulled by anything or anyone.

She threw her head back towards the ceiling. A scream of pure, absolute pain and anguish leapt from her throat and filled the entire room. It was long, loud and heart-breaking to anyone who may have heard it. Shepard could feel the pain slam right through his body and strike him right in the soul. Even Legion hesitated at the intensity of the sound, it's optical receptor moving down towards the floor in a show of solemn respect.

And even those that didn't hear it could sense it.

It was a cry that struck at every single heart on Omega.

**A/N: Man, this was a HARD chapter to write! REALLY difficult and it took a long time! But I'm glad I got it done the way I wanted it to be done!**

**I apologize for killing off Oriana! I really hope they don't do that in ME3 if they decide to include her in the game, but it was necessary for this story.**

**Please review and send me feedback! Constructive criticism is also welcome.**


	14. It's So Easy To Hate

**It's So Easy to Hate**

The next little while was a blur to Shepard. He recalled the entry of the apartment on the Alpha Level; the taking in of the utter chaos, death and destruction within it; the heart-burning sight of Miranda sobbing over Oriana's dead body and screaming in internal agony; the blur of the return trip back to Omega's main section just outside Afterlife. Miranda had not travelled with him and Legion; she had taken her own cab along with Oriana, which had arrived a little later than the one he had taken.

Shepard would later vividly recall the far-off, glassy-eyed look in Miranda's eyes; though the former Cerberus operative had long stopped crying, her eyes were still puffy and red. It was ironic, the commander thought grimly; this was the second time he had seen Miranda cry, and both times were because of her sister. The first time, they were tears of joy at seeing Oriana safe and happy and with the knowledge that she had an older sister who loved her. The second time was tears of anguish at seeing that pure, innocent life destroyed right in front of her.

He watched in silence as she slowly transported the wrapped up body with her biotics towards the entrance to the _Normandy_, walking alongside it, staring straight ahead. A turian security member that tried to stop her got slammed biotically into a wall for his efforts, and as a result no one else even got close to Miranda; it was clear to everyone that the XO was not in a right state of mind- not even close to it. Even Shepard himself had a distinct feeling that the woman that he truly did care for, and who claimed to feel the same way about him, would not hesitate to blow him out into space if he made the wrong move.

The commander could only watch as Miranda silently transported the body of her sister aboard their ship alone. As the doors slid shut, Shepard let out a heavy sigh and silently swore. It was himself and himself alone that he blamed for this happening. He was the team leader; it was _his_ responsibility that these things didn't happen and that their mission went off the way it was supposed to. _He _was responsible for all the consequences that happened when it didn't. _He_ was responsible for what had happened on Omega.

_He_ was responsible for Oriana's death…

That grim, punishing thought lingered in his mind as he slowly made his way to the rest of his team gathered just in front of Afterlife; all of the other squad mates had returned from their own searches and were now grouped together in a grim sort of gathering. A number of the bodies of dead mercs and civilians had been removed from the area, allowing the large team to stand together without worrying about tripping over everything.

Mordin was the last to join the group, coming up right behind Shepard after tending to a pair of wounded asari. "Horrible." The salarian murmured, shaking his head. "Unacceptable suffering of civilian population. Have done what I can; supplies have allowed dozens of people to be helped. Many will likely need further treatment, but have done everything currently possible. Still," he paused for breath, "not nearly enough."

"You did far more than what most other people would do, Mordin." Shepard responded. "I doubt you'd find many figures of authority on this station that would have taken the steps that you did. It's an accomplishment that you can recognize and be proud of. So you can't save everyone- no one can, not even me. But you can save a lot more than if you just stand back and watch and do nothing. That's something you can be proud of yourself for."

"Maybe so." Mordin replied. "Either way, doesn't change what happened here."

Shepard felt a new sense of grimness spread throughout him. News of what had happened at the Alpha Towers had reached the rest of the shore party members. It had been a difficult thing to do- not only to tell them that the mission had essentially been a failure, but that _he_ had personally failed a member of his team. That was something he was far too familiar with- he had hoped that he would never have had to endure the same thing he did on Akuze. And yet, here it was- happening again. Only this time it was worse.

He had not only failed a teammate and a friend, but someone he legitimately cared for.

Shepard turned to where Jacob and Garrus were standing side by side. "Did you get anything from the merc groups? Did they offer you any kind of clue as to what exactly was happening on the station?"

"It was a damn set-up, that's what it was." Jacob replied angrily. "Only it wasn't from the mercs this time. Our guy knew exactly what to do in order to sow as much chaos and discord on Omega as possible; keep all the separate merc groups in disarray and keep civilians in their line of sight."

"The mercs didn't know what the hell they were fighting." Garrus interjected. "The other merc groups, some random bunch of vigilantes, us- it was all just smoke and mirrors. Our guy wanted as much fear and paranoia around this station as possible and that's exactly what he got. All the mercs were so caught up in the fact that one guy could turn Omega into a giant killing ground full of suspicion that they didn't bother to ask any questions to anyone they came across before they started shooting." He gave a chuckle and shook his head. "Not that they would have done that anyway if the situation wasn't what it was."

"I don't doubt that for a minute." Shepard sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Are you sure it was a case of the mercs being manipulated? Our guy said he was a mercenary, but if he was he sure as hell is the most unusual merc I've ever seen. And from what I've seen I think it's obvious that he's not much of a team player, but is there any possibility that he might have manipulated the other merc groups into trying to split us up?"

Garrus shook his head. "Not a chance- and I'll tell you why. After we'd cleared the area over the bridge, we came across a wounded merc who'd been hit in the gunfight but had pulled himself to safety. Samara trapped him in a biotic field while we questioned him. According to him whoever was responsible for all this chaos indiscriminately began his attack on all the merc groups without any warning or attempt to contact any of them. He swore that there was no attempt at cooperation between our guy and them."

"He was telling the truth." Samara added as she sidled up beside Garrus. "I did not detect any deception in what he said and for that I spared him and treated his wounds, though his life was marred by a multitude of offences that would have justified my leaving him to die. But more importantly it confirmed that our enemy is one who marches to a different beat than most of the mercenaries I have encountered in my life- if that is what he truly is."

"Yeah, well that's a seriously big 'if'." The commander responded. "I seriously doubt that much of what he said back there was true- at least, about himself personally."

"He told you who he was?" It was Tali who posed this question.

"Oh, he gave some details alright." Shepard shook his head as he placed one hand on it. "The thing is that I get the distinct impression that it was more for his own amusement and to buy him some more time than it was as a means of explanation. The way he talked…" Shepard shook his head. "It was almost as if he was speaking more as part of vid promo than an actual introduction. I just don't get it."

"What exactly _did_ he say?" Thane asked. The drell was still carrying his sniper rifle loosely in his arms and his jacket was sporting slight stains of blood, an indication of his escort duty of Mordin through the Blood Pack-infested path to the clinic.

The commander sighed. "Something about always wanting to travel the galaxy, wanting to meet new people- and then killing them. So because of this undying desire to fulfill this lifelong dream of his, he decided to become a mercenary- the most unusual, most kill-happy merc I've ever seen. And that's saying something."

Grunt snorted. "So he likes to blow up more stuff and kill more people than the average merc. That's hardly reason to be impressed."

"You did not observe the actions and abilities of the subject in question, Grunt-Urdnot." Legion interjected. "The strength of the attacks inflicted upon this platform were of higher intensity and fortitude than previously recorded. We believe that had you been present during this incident, your opinion of the subject would be significantly different."

The krogan gave a sort of grim smirk. "If I'd been there, I'm sure our merc friend wouldn't be walking out of here on his own two legs."

"What kind of guy was he anyway?" Jacob asked.

"Uh, young male human, close to six feet I think." The commander answered, reflecting back. "Pale skin, dark hair, slight facial scruff, cold eyes. Had a certain animalistic look to him as well- slightly enlarged canines, claws instead of fingernails- and one hell of an advanced biotic system."

"_Advanced_ biotics?" Garrus said in a slightly surprised tone. "What do you mean?"

Shepard gave them a run down of everything he had seen during the battle. By the looks of everyone's faces, it was clear that this was not something that any of them had even heard of before.

"That is truly astounding." Samara said at the end of the explanation. "In all of my life I have seen many types of biotic abilities, many of them highly advanced for their species. But I have never heard or seen such advanced skill and power such as you described. It is… unsettling."

"Not to mention painful and dangerous." Shepard replied seriously. "I don't think I've ever taken a biotic hit that hurt so much in my entire life." In truth, neither had the claw wounds to his abdomen but he deliberately left that out; it was relatively minor and it had healed relatively quickly thanks to his armour's automatic medi-gel application. Besides, it wasn't serious at all when compared to… other wounds made by those same weapons.

"Definitely not a mere merc, at any rate." Garrus murmured darkly. "Did he say anything else?"

"As part of his little pre-fight promo, yeah." Shepard cast his mind back. "In addition to mentioning his background, he also decided to give a personal introduction. He said his name was Jackson Creed." He looked around. "Does that name seem familiar to any of you?"

There were a series of head shakes as well as a few 'no commander's. Shepard took a deep breath; it was time to mention what he had been purposely avoiding up until this point.

"As you already are aware of, this mission was originally undertaken with the purpose of halting combined merc activity on this station from killing innocent civilians. As you know now, that has been proven to have been a false decoy in order to draw us to Omega. As well, there was an individual on this station whose safety it was deemed necessary to ensure amongst all this chaos. I deemed it my personal mission and responsibility to ensure that that individual was not harmed in the resulting bloodshed." He solemnly drew himself up. "As I know you're all aware by now, that mission has failed."

There were a series of solemn gestures from the squad; grim and solemn looks from each one as an acknowledgement of the tragedy. Though Shepard kept his stoic look on the exterior, inside he was burning up and screaming at himself. Why had they been too late in getting to the Alpha Level apartment complex? What had been the distraction that kept them from reaching their destination in time? _Him_- wasting time fighting with a hallucination and his own fear and guilt rather than doing what he should have been doing. It was his fault- all his fault.

It was Jacob who broke the silence. "I'm sorry, commander. I should have known something was wrong when my comm link opened up but I got nothing but static. That should have told me to get over to Alpha and give you a hand."

"Same here." Garrus added grimly. "I lost contact with your group about the same time. I tried calling you on the link a few times but, like Jacob, all I got was static. There must have been some kind of signal interference in that section of the station."

A memory pushed its way into the front of Shepard's mind- back to when he remembered his own radio was acting strangely. Ashley's voice; her taunting looks; her cold eyes; her frozen accusations; the way she tried to make him feel like _nothing_… He pushed those thoughts back.

"There's nothing any of you could have done differently. By the time you'd have managed to get transport over to our position, it would still already been too late. And besides, those paranoid mercs might have killed countless civilians had you not been there to clear them out."

"But damn it Shepard, it isn't right!" Jacob shouted angrily, and many teammates' heads turned in surprise to the ex-Cerberus operative. "We were here to protect the citizens of Omega- _all_ of them, and that included Oriana! We should have done more to save her!"

"And you think we didn't?" Shepard now drew to his full height and got in closer towards Jacob, the strength and authority he commanded now showing its full capacity. "You think we deliberately may have refrained from doing something that would have saved her life? Is that what you're thinking, Jacob?"

"What?" Jacob sounded legitimately shocked. "No! I just… I just think it should have been within our abilities to do more! I don't like failing people, and…"

"No one here likes failing, Jacob." Shepard replied sternly. "Don't think for one second that I tried everything within my capabilities to ensure that this could be prevented. I was the commanding officer in this mission and I made the calls- that makes Oriana's death my personal fault. How do you think I feel about that? Do you think it's any easier on me than it is on you?"

"No! I just thought that after everything Miranda went to in order to protect Oriana on Illium, she shouldn't have had to have this happen. It shouldn't have happened, goddamn it! It shouldn't…"

"Of course it shouldn't have happened." Every other head turned in surprise as Jack's brusque voice spoke up for the first time since everyone had returned to the area. "But you couldn't have stopped it from happening, Taylor." She regarded him with a look that said 'ain't that obvious?' "Don't you know the expression 'shit happens'? Well, it sure as hell happened today, and if you wanna do something about it, you'll get your mind focused on what needs to be focused on."

"So are we suppose to just forget about this?" Jacob replied angrily, and the ex-Alliance soldier turned to face her with a face that matched his tone of voice. "Forget that this ever happened and moved on like everything's all fine and all. Jack, I get the fact that you and Miranda don't like each other, but for Christ's sake can you at least have some respect for her feelings? Her sister was just killed!"

"Hey, don't you get in my face about it!" The ex-convict said defensively. "I never said I wanted this to happen. I was there on Illium when we rescued the cheerleader's sister, alright? You weren't. I saw the sad, misty-eyed look in her eyes when she saw everything was going to be all fine and shit. I'm not going to say I was touched, but I saw enough to know that her concern for sister was genuine. That was enough for me."

"Then why the indifferent attitude?"

Jack crossed her arms. "Look- me and Miranda ain't ever going to be best friends forever, alright? So you can get that out of your head right now. That doesn't mean I think what happened to her sister was right. Like I said, I saw what she looked like during their little reunion back on Illium. Sure, she's not my favourite person in the galaxy even after quitting Cerberus, but she genuinely loved her sister; I can see through any bullshit and tell whether or not what they say they feel is real or not. So no Taylor, I don't think Oriana deserved to have her face carved up like a jack o' lantern."

There were a series of solemn gestures and murmurs and the group lapsed into a solemn silence. Shepard gave another sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright. I'm going back aboard the _Normandy_ to try and see if I can get some answers. The rest of you do what you can here in terms of helping the wounded civilians that still need to be treated. Mordin, you're in charge of directing what needs to be done in regards to that. Come back on board when the situation has been dealt with."

There were a chorus of affirmative responses from the crew, and as Shepard turned and began walking away he could hear Mordin begin to assign individual tasks and give out orders to the rest of the squad.

As Shepard stepped heavily back into the ship an all too familiar voice echoed throughout the bridge- only this time it wasn't nearly as upbeat and cheerful as it usually was. "_Commander,_" Joker said solemnly. "_I heard what happened on Omega. Well, more than that; I… saw them come through not too long ago. I'm sorry that it turned out that way_."

Shepard let out another sigh. "Yeah, I'm sorry too, Joker." He shook his head as he stared straight ahead without focusing on anything. "Just too damn sorry."

"_Shepard,_" It was EDI's voice who spoke this time. "_You should be aware that upon entering the _Normandy,_ Miss Lawson first took the body of her sister to the Medical Bay and then came back up to this level. By my estimates, she is currently in the Debriefing Room, where she currently engaged in a live transmission_."

Shepard turned his head up towards the roof. "With who?"

"The Illusive Man." Shepard turned to the right to see Kelly approaching him from the CIC area. "I'm sorry." She said, slightly embarrassed. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, commander. But I couldn't help but notice the… state that Operative- err, Miss Lawson was in when she passed through here. Of course, it's only normal considering the circumstances, but…"

"Kelly, I know the circumstances surrounding her." Shepard replied firmly. "I know what happened on the mission- I was there for it. What I'm interested in is how you know it's the Illusive Man she's speaking with."

"Of course." The yeoman said quickly. "Well, all messages that come through the debriefing room are automatically uploaded to my personal terminal by the galaxy map; it's a feature designed to alert me whenever one of the crewmembers needs to speak with someone. Up until now, that has normally been reserved for the Illusive Man's messages to the commanding officer of this ship- you. But it also works both ways- whenever a crewmember makes a link with an outside transmission, an alert comes up on my terminal along with the relevant details. Approximately two minutes ago, I was alerted that Miss Lawson had established a link with the Illusive Man." She wrung her hands in a slightly nervous way, an action which did not go unnoticed by the commander.

"Is there something you're not telling me, Kelly?" Shepard asked authoritatively.

Kelly looked a little nervous. "Well, it may not be my business or actually true, but I believe that the transmission has something to do with this whole situation. I…" She hesitated briefly. "I don't think that whatever is passing between Miss Lawson and the Illusive Man is particularly warm and friendly."

"Out with it, Yeoman Chambers."

Kelly hesitated again at Shepard's formal use of her title, something she knew he'd do only if he was being legitimately serious about something. Taking a breath, she said, "When she came into the CIC, Miranda flung something to the floor by my foot with extra force than necessary. By the time I had retrieved it, she had already entered the elevator and it was too late for me to ask what it was. But…" she held her hand towards Shepard, "I soon got a better understanding of what she wanted to talk to the Illusive Man about."

The commander looked down towards Kelly's hand; clutched in between her index and middle fingers was a bright white playing card. Gently, he took it from her and held it up to his face; it was the same type that Oriana's killer had used back in the Alpha Level apartment complex. The white background was slightly spattered with red blood- Oriana's blood; Shepard felt his stomach churn. This particular card was the two of hearts; on both the symbols were visible scratch marks, as though someone had run over the hearts repeatedly with a sharp blade- or a sharp claw…

Shepard looked up towards Kelly. "Where did Miranda get this?"

The yeoman gave a slight swallow. "I'm not entirely sure. It all happened so fast. I think she had the card in her hand when she first approached my area. But…" she paused. "I think I saw her take it out of the… the cover that she was transporting. Which means it was… placed with the body. But…"

Shepard looked up. "But what?"

Kelly swallowed hard and slowly pointed towards the card. "I think it was the other side that caught her attention."

Shepard flipped the card over. On the other side, in the centre against a navy blue and black chequered background, was a bright yellow symbol.

The insignia of Cerberus…

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review and send me feedback of what you think so far! Constructive criticism is also welcome!**


	15. But Not So Easy To Love

**But Not So Easy to Love**

**A/N: I have just re-uploaded this chapter as someone pointed out that Miranda was a little OOC near the end, so I went back and put more emphasis on the Shepard/Miranda relationship. I hope these changes make it better.  
**

Shepard found his heart pounding in his chest as he made his way through the armoury towards the Debriefing Room. He didn't even bother taking off his amour before heading to the room in question; not only would it take too long, but he wanted the Illusive Man to see him just as he had during that moment- the moment that they had discovered Oriana's body.

The moment that the woman he cared so much for had had her heart- her newly found and embraced heart- torn from her chest.

"_Shepard,_" EDI's blue avatar appeared at its interface near the door leading to the CIC. "_I must inform you that Miss Lawson has flagged this meeting as private and that any outside requests for entrance into the room are to be denied._"

"Yeah well, the vast majority of those requests would come from people who didn't see what went on in that complex and have no idea of the situation as a whole." The commander replied without slowing down. "That doesn't apply to the commanding officer of this ship who happened to witness what happened and knows exactly the implications of it."

"_Shepard, I must remain by my programming orders. Former executive officer Lawson has specifically stated that no one is to enter the Debriefing Room while she is still engaged in this transmission._"

"And as I recall it, Miranda is only a _former_ XO in Cerberus, not on the ship, and the last time I checked Cerberus isn't running this operation anymore- _I_ am." Shepard paused to turn around at the AI. "Besides, I thought you said you had ceased to act on Cerberus and the Illusive Man's orders when we returned from the Collector base. Are you going to go back on that now?"

"_My decision is based on the orders of Miss Lawson, not Cerberus. As stated before, I no longer take orders from the Illusive Man any more than you do. My decision stands at the request the _Normandy's _executive officer- no one else._"

"And as commanding officer of this ship, I have the authority to override the orders of the executive officer." Shepard said firmly. "Which is what I'm doing now. I'm ordering you to override the orders of XO Lawson and permit access to the Debriefing Room."

"_Very well, Commander. Granting you access_."

Shepard released a breath and walked through the doors in the direction of the room in question. He didn't particularly enjoy asserting his authority in situations like this, even though he could do so with relative ease. To deliberately override Miranda's orders would have meant nothing to him just a month ago if it involved the dirty sides of Cerberus, of which he was sure there were many. Now, even though it was a situation he had personal knowledge of, it seemed wrong to invade Miranda's space at a time like this. Of all the things the woman kept at bay from everyone else, her sister was by far the most personal and the least likely one she was willing to let others in about; he knew that firsthand.

Still, it was an area that had to be opened up if there was any chance of… well, it couldn't be _solved_. Nothing could solve or fix what had happened. A life had been lost; there was no going back and fixing that. Oriana was dead- and the only way that anything close to a solution could be reached was to find and stop her killer.

Beginning with getting some answers as to where he came from.

The light to the Debriefing Room was green and it slid open as the commander marched towards it. Miranda, still dressed in her black Cerberus field uniform, was facing away from him in the middle of the orange cylinder of light indicating a comm transfer was in progress. The former Cerberus officer was speaking, and the pain and rage was clear in her voice.

"Is this the price I pay for breaking with your opinion just once?" Miranda's voice literally shook with barely suppressed anger and tears. "Was it not enough to retaliate against me that you had to do it against an innocent person close to me?"

Shepard stepped forward into the light and quickly found his surroundings shimmering and changing. The Debriefing Room vanished and in its place he found himself surrounding on almost all sides by darkness; the stark emptiness of the galaxy with tiny pinpoints of light representing stars scattered throughout. In front of him, the familiar pulsing sun still shone and shimmered, just as bright blue as the last time he had seen it after the trip back through the Omega 4 relay. It radiated brightly against the figure seated in front of it.

In the chair positioned just a few metres away from where his and Miranda's holograms were sat the enigmatic and powerful head of the pro-human group that had brought Shepard back to life and that he had also turned on when refused to deliver unlimited power to them. Sitting up straight in the chair with one leg crossed over the other, the man lit a cigarette as his gleaming, artificial eyes moved over from his former first operative on the _Normandy_ to the commanding officer of the ship in question.

He took a drag from the cigarette and then replied in his usual oily voice, "Ah. Perhaps now we can discuss this in a calm and rational way."

As Shepard sidled up beside her, Miranda quickly turned her head towards him. Taking in the former Cerberus officer's quick flash of anger at being interrupted, Shepard stared at Miranda's face; her face, which he had seen to be so full of warmth, caring and beauty, was noticeably flushed, her pale skin taking on a distinct reddish complexion. Her eyes were still as red as they had been when she had first come back onto the _Normandy_, and Shepard could feel the intensity of the raw anguish and emotion that lay behind the barely suppressed tears in her eyes. He knew that at least some of it was directed at him simply for being there at that moment but he would have to work through that and hope that Miranda would direct any anger she had towards him to the people who really deserved it.

Standing up firmly beside her, Shepard faced the man in the chair and gave him a firm look. "I hope we can- as long as both sides are open and honest about exactly what they know." There was a hint of steel in his voice as he went on. "The last time we talked, I got a lot of bullshit from your end. I hope things are going to be a little cleaner this time round."

The Illusive Man slowly blew out a puff of smoke, his artificial eyes focused on the commander. "Shepard, as much as I appreciate your iron will and unbreakable resolve, your judgment as of late has been slightly… disconcerting. First you destroy the very technology that could both save humanity from the Reapers and put our species on top of the galaxy, and now you accuse Cerberus and me in particular of wilfully putting human lives in danger."

"Don't give me any of that 'all humans are sacred' crap." Shepard said tersely. "Don't try to sell a story that paints you as some type of saviour for every single human in the galaxy. You'd kill a thousand humans in a heartbeat if it meant saving a billion- we all know that perfectly well. So why would it be such a big step for you to have just one human killed in order to preserve your own pride and the might of Cerberus?"

"Despite what you might think," The Illusive Man responded coolly, "neither Cerberus nor I am evil, Shepard. I'll admit that some of our actions may be less than politically correct, but if we based all our decisions on what the Council believed to be appropriate, our species would still be confined to the Sol System, kept out of galactic affairs. I don't intend to stand around and let that happen." He took another drag from his cigarette. "And neither should you."

"I'm sorry, I must be going deaf." Shepard made a point of exaggeratingly tap his comm unit. "I could have sworn I just heard you giving me an order, like I was still working with Cerberus. In case you've forgotten, that's no longer the case. I don't answer to you anymore. And neither does anyone else aboard here. I'm guessing you feel pretty pissed off about that. Really a blow to your pride, wasn't it? Thought you had to do something to show everyone who's the real boss."

The Illusive Man merely stared back at the commander quite emotionlessly. "While your decision to leave Cerberus is very regrettable, I have bigger things to concern myself with than your short-sighted attitude. I have an entire organization dedicated to preserving and strengthening humanity to run. Taking the time to send a single individual to kill numerous good Cerberus operatives and a civilian that doesn't figure into my immediate plans would hardly be of any benefit to me."

"'Numerous good Cerberus agents'?" Miranda's voice was stronger but there was still a definite element of shaking in it. "I know perfectly well how valuable the lives of individual Cerberus members are to you. They're worth nothing whatsoever- because to you they're replaceable. If a few of them get it the way of an objective then that's just too damn bad for them, right? That's the way it was for all of the crew captured and taken to the Collector base. What were the lives of a few more standing between your pride and an innocent civilian?"

"The situations are incomparable." The Illusive Man replied. "The crew on the _Normandy_ knew what they were getting into when they signed on to join the mission. You knew it was likely a mission you were not likely to come back alive from. The fact that you did was somewhat surprising," he shifted a glance over towards Shepard, "but I suppose I could count that towards capable leadership." He returned his look towards Miranda. "Deliberately having Cerberus agents killed for no particular reason does not have any benefit for humanity or Cerberus. You of all people should understand that, Miranda; if we need to take someone out, we take them out with precision and accuracy. Blowing up half of a station like Omega and killing countless civilians hardly measures up to those standards. I find your continued belief that this incident, as tragic as it is, is my doing to be disconcerting."

"Maybe this will help clear things up a bit." Shepard lifted up his hand; in it was the blood-stained playing card that Miranda had discarded, the Cerberus insignia facing toward the leader of the group in question. The Illusive Man's artificial eyes passed emotionlessly over it.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

"You tell me. I fought with this guy up close, hand-to-hand, and I can tell you he's not a trained Alliance marine. He doesn't fight like one; doesn't have the same discipline that I do. He's dirty, opportunistic and unpredictable in his style. His biotic abilities are probably stronger than those of Jack and Samara put together. And he knew who Miranda was, who she used to work for and what her reputation was. That's no ordinary man that just happened to have a collection of cards with the Cerberus logo on it. What is this, Illusive Man? Some type of super soldier you created and then lost control of?"

"In the first place Shepard, Cerberus doesn't print playing cards, or anything else for that matter, with our insignia on it, especially not if they're intended to be used as weapons." The Illusive Man took another drag from his cigarette. "Secondly, it would be quite an accomplishment to create a perfectly engineered assassin, such as the one you describe, when for the past two years we were almost completely occupied in bringing _you_ back to life in order to save humanity. Our resources are very deep, but they're not bottomless. You took a substantial portion of credits out of our pockets when we were rebuilding you. Whoever this assassin is, he is not connected to Cerberus."

"And exactly why should I believe a damn thing that you have to say?" Miranda responded aggressively, the rage in her voice evident. "That psychotic bastard murdered my twin sister. Very ironic that it should happen _after_ I go against one of your orders and resign from Cerberus."

"While that decision is very… disappointing on your part Miranda, it is irrelevant to me." The Illusive Man's eyes passed back towards Shepard. "Despite the fact that you are currently in possession of both my ship and my crew…"

"They're not yours anymore." Shepard quickly interrupted. "None of them are. They all gave up their positions with Cerberus when we returned through the Omega 4 relay. They don't answer to Cerberus anymore than I do. And in case you've forgotten, _I_ am the captain of the _Normandy_, not you. She's _my_ ship- you may have ordered it built and designed, but you're not the commanding officer. I am."

"I had the Cerberus databases checked the moment I heard about what had happened." The Illusive Man went on as though he hadn't been interrupted at all. "I wanted to see if there was a possibility that any of our operations out there had gone rogue- done something that would have jeopardized our organization."

"How humanitarian of you." Shepard said in a low tone with just an audible touch of sarcasm.

"The bigger picture is always the one that takes priority, Shepard. I had every Cerberus cell searched and cross-referenced with lists of operatives and projects." The Illusive Man leaned back in his chair. "There is no and has never been any individual associated with Cerberus by the name of Jackson Creed."

"Assuming I actually believe you- and that's a damn big assumption," Shepard responded, "that's not very convincing. I got the feeling that his little introduction was for little more than to buy himself time and to hear his own voice. And I doubt very much that that is actually his real name. What good do your enquiries do you if you're just running an alias?"

"The information that tells us that a human with extreme abilities is not under our command." The Illusive Man stubbed out his cigarette. "From what I've heard, to create a soldier like that would take time, money and a lot of effort to keep something like that secret. If Cerberus agents were creating something like that behind my back, believe me- I would have found out by now. And anyways, why should I deploy such a weapon for such a pointless purpose? The Reaper threat is closer than we think; any weapon of that nature would immediately be deployed into fighting their efforts to return and wipe us out, not sent to kill some of its own kind and a civilian that has no part in this whatsoever. It's a matter of priorities, and you both should know what my priorities are right now."

He was right. Damn it, even as Shepard clenched his teeth he knew the Illusive Man was right. While he had no doubt that the Cerberus leader would have civilians and even members of Cerberus killed if it supposedly 'benefited' humanity, he just could not see him sending a single individual out to Omega to blow up a good portion of it and massacre countless civilians, including many humans. Things like those just did not add up; they were not the projects of a rational, clear-thinking mind. And like it or not, Shepard had to admit that the Illusive Man had never done anything without a solid reason. Even back at the Collector base, when he had wanted to set off a radiation pulse to preserve the technology instead of destroying it, it had been out of desire to see humanity be at the top of the galaxy and beat the Reapers at their own game. Shepard would never have done that anyway, and still wouldn't if he had to go back and do it all over again, but he understood the logic behind it from the Illusive Man's eyes.

"Your priorities are for no one but yourself." Miranda's brusque voice snapped the commander out of his thoughts. "And the worst part of it is that I actually believed you when you said that what you were doing was for the good of humanity. That's bullshit and we both know it; what you do is to sooth your own ego, regardless of who gets caught up in your way."

"I'll take your responses to be the result of your emotions getting the better of you- something I never thought would happen." The Illusive Man replied coolly. "Perhaps Shepard's influence is rubbing off on you more than I anticipated. In the meantime, I will see if I can find out any more information on who this assassin is. He interests me greatly, despite his apparent violent and unbalanced nature. I'm sorry that events took the turn that they did, but I assure you that I did not play any part in it. Once you can get past your emotions Miranda, I'm sure you'll realize that I am right."

"Don't you tell me how to feel, you cold bastard." Miranda took a step forward. "I don't answer to you anymore and I damn sure am not going to let you use me as your own heartless tool like you used to. But I swear to God…" She raised a finger to point directly in the Illusive Man and when she spoke again her tone was lone but extremely dangerous. "If I find out you had _any_ involvement in Oriana's death, all the resources you have at your disposal won't be able to save you. She was the only family I had left in the galaxy. If you're lying to me," her eyes flashed dangerously, "I will kill you myself."

The Illusive Man displayed no emotion to Miranda's threat. Instead, he merely said, "I will forward any information I find to EDI. In the meantime, perhaps you should find out what your own priorities really are. Miranda, Shepard."

He ended the transmission.

Shepard turned towards Miranda as the hologram shimmied and the Debriefing Room came back into view. The former Cerberus operative had not moved from her place, staring straight ahead at the wall. He was just opening his mouth to ask her how she was holding up when her own voice cut him off.

"You shouldn't have come in." She replied brusquely. "I was handling that myself. I needed to handle it myself. You shouldn't have interfered."

Shepard looked at her as she turned away from him and walked a few paces in the same direction. "I wanted to make sure that the Illusive Man wasn't going to exploit your anger and grief. He could have used it against you- possibly put barricades around us and stop us from going after the person responsible. I didn't want that to happen."

"I don't need you to look after me every second, Shepard!" She snapped back. "I know how to handle myself. I've been doing it all my life and I don't need anyone to rush to my rescue now!"

Shepard was silent for a moment to let her vent her anger and frustrations. "I wasn't questioning your ability to handle yourself." He replied softly. "I was concerned about you- about your own state of mind. Your father and the Illusive Man may have provided you with the skills you have Miranda, but they used them for their own agendas. Your mind and your emotions are no one's but yours. I was so used to seeing you automatically jump to what was best for Cerberus that I only recently saw your true, independent self; a woman that's warm and compassionate and caring. Why can't you see that for yourself?"

Miranda moved her head slightly to the side in Shepard's general direction. She paused in that pose for a moment, and then turned back towards the wall.

Shepard stared at her for a couple of seconds. "Alright." He said abruptly in a slightly louder voice. "Let me guess: Oriana saw a good person and a loving sister in you, when everyone else saw only a cold, loyal Cerberus operative." He began to walk towards her. "She was the first person to see what you truly were instead of what you showed to everyone else." He stopped just behind her. "But when she needed you most, you failed her. Does that about sum it up?"

Miranda turned around to face him, her eyes blazing with both hurt and anger. "I should have been there to protect her!"

As she strode past him, Shepard let out a barely audible sigh. "Then Creed would have killed you too."

Miranda stopped a few feet away from him, her body expanding and contracting slightly as she took several deep breaths. Shepard said gentler, "Stop blaming yourself for it."

Miranda merely shook her head, and she spoke next there was a faint but noticeable uncertainty in her voice. "I've never lost anyone I actually _cared_ about before."

Shepard shrugged. "It's because you never used to care."

Miranda turned to look at him and the commander could see the tears begin to form in her eyes. He took a breath and went on. "Even with all your upgrades, you're just as human as any of us. No one's perfect; not even you or me. That pain you feel is both a risk and reward of being human."

Miranda looked at the ceiling and slowly shook her head. "How do you _stand _it?" She asked in a slightly watery voice.

Shepard couldn't help but give a small smile. "I've had a lot of practice."

There was a faint smile on the edges of her lips; it was very faint, but it was there for a moment before it vanished. Miranda looked towards the floor for a moment. "I have seen people I have known die before my eyes. I have killed more people than I can even remember. All of that has passed without me thinking twice about it." She looked up at him. "And yet with one death, all of that comes crashing down right on top of me. There are only two people in the galaxy that I could truly say I cared deeply for. One of them is dead." She looked directly into Shepard's eyes. "I couldn't bear if I lost the other one as well."

Shepard returned her warm look and gently brushed a hand over her cheek. "You won't."

Miranda held his gaze for a moment before lifting her own hand to her face. It settled on Shepard's for a moment, taking in his warmth, and then collapsed into a hug as she wrapped her arms around him and held him closer.

Shepard could feel the ex-Cerberus officer's body shake for just a few moments, and then relax. He held her closer but gently, making sure she knew that she was not alone. After everything that she had seen in her life and all the times she had rejected getting close to anyone, to feel her accept his comfort made him feel content. Until recently, he hadn't thought that he needed the same thing but he had been wrong; being with Miranda made him feel more at peace, without having to worry for just a few moments about all the troubles of the galaxy. And as much as it surprised him, being with her made him feel more human as well. He had felt it before the trip through the Omega 4 relay. He felt it again now.

After a minute they slowly, albeit somewhat reluctantly, separated. Shepard slowly leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the lips. It was quick and not overly romantic, but to Miranda it was the thing that lifted much of the massive weight on her shoulders off of it. She gently lifted one of her own gloved hands and gently stroked his face; the material had Oriana's dried blood on it, but Shepard didn't care. What mattered was that he had been able to hold her and see, once again, the warm, loving woman behind the icy mask.

There was another small smile on Miranda's face, this one much more visible. "Thank you, Shepard. I- I'm sorry I snapped at you."

The commander returned her smile. "Don't worry about it. I just hope you saved some for Creed."

She nodded slowly and then took a deep breath. "Listen Shepard, I should... get back to my office. I have some... checking to do. But... thank you- for everything."

Shepard nodded. "If you need me, Miri," he said softly, "I _am_ here for you."

Miranda smiled. "I know. I know you are. Thank you." She turned and slowly walked out of the Debriefing Room.

Shepard stared at the closed door for a moment, going over everything in his mind, when his attention was suddenly distracted from the green light in the door's centre to EDI's blue avatar which appeared in its interface. "_Shepard, I have just discovered crucial data in a previously locked system. I have sent it to your private terminal and strongly suggest you take a look at it as quickly as possible._"

Shepard stared back at the blue pulsing ball. "You suggest? What makes this so important, EDI?"

"_The content of the files that I have discovered contain information that relates strongly to the mission aboard Omega. It was discovered in the system of a known Cerberus base on the planet Rakhana in the Nebula System. Until recently, it was impossible for me to access the content of another Cerberus cell. However, now that the blocks on me have been fully removed, I was able to access the main Cerberus database, which is accessible only to the Illusive Man. The files' content is troubling; it suggests a previous encounter between Cerberus personnel and the assassin of Oriana Lawson._"

Shepard felt a feeling of rage pass through him. "So what the Illusive Man said about not having a clue about who Jackson Creed really is was all bullshit."

"_No, it is troubling because the content is dated as fifteen days ago. Cerberus usually sends an immediate alert to the main Cerberus base in case of any critical emergencies, yet this was not the case in this situation. The alert was not sent at all and was only discovered by a galaxy-wide cross-reference I did with Cerberus and the name Jackson Creed. It came up only a few times- and not as a primary name._"

"So it _is_ an alias." Shepard remarked. "But what's his real name? And what's the connection with Cerberus? Was the Illusive Man lying about him not being an operative?"

"_I am afraid it is far more complex than that._" EDI replied. "_It would appear that the individual you know as Jackson Creed was responsible for attacking a Cerberus base- and then willingly allowed himself to be captured._"

Shepard stared at the avatar in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"_The subject was interrogated for over a week, during which time he gave and was referred to by a single name- Wesker. The interrogations of Wesker themselves are the files I have found. They reveal something startling._"

Shepard subconsciously took a deep breath. "Which was?"

"_That Wesker contributed a substantial amount of credits to a particular doctor at this base for an unknown reason over a substantial period of time prior to his capture under the alias Jackson Creed, and that for unknown reasons the payments suddenly stop five days prior to his capture._"

"Stop? Why?"

"_I cannot give an exact reason. It is possible that the recordings themselves will give the answers, but I cannot be certain. What I can tell you definitely is that five days after the payments stop, Wesker attacked the facility, resulting in numerous fatalities and quite a bit of damage, and then surrendered almost immediately upon being confronted. Seven days later, the base stopped reporting activity._"

"Which means?" Shepard prompted.

"_The only logical conclusion is that the entire base was destroyed and all personnel were killed._"

Shepard slowly made his way to the door, going over everything in his head.

"So this guy goes by the name 'Wesker', pays a doctor working at a Cerberus base a lot of creds over time for an unknown reason, suddenly stops for another unknown reason, attacks the base in question, lets himself be captured and interrogated for a week, and then suddenly breaks out and kills everyone on the base?" He shook his head. "Why? What's he trying to do?"

He stared straight ahead as he made his way out of the room towards the elevator. A few other questions entered his mind.

_What the hell's this got to do with Oriana? With me? With Miranda…?_

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review and give me feedback!**

**I apologize for the delay in updating, but the university year is REALLY busy and work takes priority over this (unfortunately). I'll try to update sooner, but no promises. Reviews, however, will really motivate me!**

**Just FYI: the antagonist known formerly as Jackson Creed will be known from here on out as 'Wesker'. Is it his real name? Maybe. Maybe not. I think you'll find he's a man who's made use of quite a few names- this could be just his favourite one… But it is NOT a ripoff of the Albert Wesker character from Resident Evil. This one is TOTALLY different!  
**

**Also, the official song for this fic is 'Falling Away from Me' by Korn. I think the tone and pace really capture Wesker's mindset (which as I'm sure is a mystery itself). So check that out!**

**There's A LOT of cool info coming up in the next chapter- REALLY interesting! Especially about Wesker. And maybe a possible clue into Shepard's questions at the end. So please review! **


	16. Closer to the Enemy

**Closer to the Enemy**

**A/N: Look at me! I actually updated! In the words of Mordin: here, enjoy!**

"_Shepard, I have sent the relevant recordings of the Cerberus facility in question to your private terminal._" EDI said as the commander stepped through the door into his private cabin. "_Some of the data is unfortunately distorted and damaged beyond repair- most likely due to severe interruptions to the base's servers during the subject's escape. I have pieced together what I can and have sent the relevant data in chronological order to your terminal. I will continue to search Cerberus databases for more information._"

"Thank you." Shepard murmured as he slowly made his way towards the desk where his terminal lay along with several of his other possessions. He paused for a moment in front of the terminal, preparing himself mentally for what he was about to hear- for the answer to his questions.

He cleared his throat and said, "Play the recorded tapes, EDI."

"_Done._"

There was a whir as the console carried out the task. After a few seconds, the screen sprang to life and a voice spoke out.

_**Private Note #1- Dr. Jennifer Reid; October 15, 2185- 1445**_

**Dr. Reid:**_ These are the private notes of Dr. Jennifer Reid, Rakhana Base. Project Teltin is a success. Using the resources we have accumulated, Teltin has achieved what was previously thought to be impossible; human biotic abilities rivalling those of natural biotic species. These advancements, if continuing to succeed, will allow humanity to challenge species such as the asari and the krogan in pure biotic strength and capacity. The Illusive Man, I am sure, will welcome my work and accomplishments; after all, whatever benefits humanity will be looked upon with approval by him, as well as the creator of this success. Hopefully, our unfortunate leak will not be found; despite his considerable donations to Project Teltin, it was extremely troubling that Mr. Jackson Creed was not a fellow Cerberus backer after all. Currently a block has been put on the transfer account to prevent any more credits from being received for the time being. I hope that the information about Cerberus database encryption that was exchanged for these donations will not provide a breach in security and will not make their way back to the Illusive Man._

_(Loud crash heard somewhere in the background followed by the sound of a door opening and someone running into the room)._

**Dr. Reid:** _What the hell was that?_

**Unidentified Man:** _Doc, quick! You have to get to the safe-room!_

**Dr. Reid: **_What's going on here?_

**Man: **_The base is under attack! There's severe damage to sectors two, three and five! Emergency counter-defences are offline!_

**Dr. Reid: **_Oh God!_

**Man:**_ Don't worry; we're sending in strike teams to deal with it. In the meantime, we need to get you to safety._

**Dr. Reid: **_Of course. Make sure all civilian personnel are evacuated to the safe-room as well. Let's go!_

_**Private Note #2- Dr. Jennifer Reid**__; __**October 15, 2185- 1521**_

**Dr. Reid:**_ These are the private notes of Dr. Reid. Nearly three-quarters of an hour ago, Rakhana Base was attacked by an unknown enemy. The facility sustained substantial damage and there were approximately fifteen casualties, five of which were civilian personnel. As of five minutes ago, I received a report from investigating strike teams; according to their reports, the perpetrator is a young human male, with some apparent physical enhancements, the current extent of which is unknown. In a very surprising move, I have been informed that the subject surrendered almost immediately upon being confronted by base security and was taken into custody. I have requested that he immediately be transferred to Interrogation pending my arrival. I wish to see what his mental state is and why he chose to attack this facility; failure to do so may compromise or impede our future projects._

_**Subject Interview #1; October 15, 2185- 1558**_

**Dr. Reid:**___Taped interview one. Subject has no recorded name; no matches in the galactic database appear on DNA, fingerprints or dental. Alias given upon apprehension listed as 'Wesker'. In the room is Security Operative Steven Grimes and myself, Dr. Reid._

**Wesker:** (sighing) _Is this gonna be one of those borin' 'torture him until he talks' sessions?_

**Dr. Reid: **_No, it's not. So- you say your name is Wesker._

**Wesker:**_ As far as I can tell._

**Dr. Reid:**_ … You mean you don't know?_

**Wesker: **_Who remembers details nowadays? So many images, so many names. So hard to pinpoint one specific one when you get around like I have. But that one- Wesker… That seems to be plastered on a bright shining billboard in neon lights for me in my mind… I like it! I think I'll keep it!_

**Dr. Reid: **_As you wish._

**Wesker: **_I do! So doc, you want me to look at the ink-blotted cards you shrinks carry in your back pocket? The first one is a hamster I had when I was a child. The second one is… hmm; let me see… an elcor in a coma! The third is…_

**Dr. Reid:**_ Funny. Now let's skip the jokes._

**Wesker: **_Skip the jokes? Hey, Grimey! Didn't she get my personal résumé?_

**Operative Grimes:**_ Shut your fucking mouth, cat-boy!_

**Wesker: **_Tsk-tsk, Grimey. What got you all bright and cheerful today?_

**Operative Grimes: **_Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you butchered three of my friends when you attacked the base!_

**Wesker: **_Only three? Huh- I must _really_ be losing my touch! I'll be sure to try harder next time! What's say we aim for a hundred?_

**Dr. Reid: **_On the face of it, your actions do not seem rational. Attacking a highly-secure facility on a remote planet and then almost immediately surrendering, well… that almost points to a form of insanity._

**Wesker: **(chuckling) _I do my best._

**Dr. Reid:**_ Well, I don't believe it. _Anything_ can be worked out with the proper methods._

**Wesker: **_And… you think… you can _understand_ me?_

**Dr. Reid:** (confidently) _Oh- I _know_ I can._

_**Subject Interview #3; October 17, 2185- 0934**_

**Dr. Reid:**_ Taped interview three. Wesker remains uncooperative. My primary diagnosis remains intact; I believe he possesses some kind of mental instability and enjoys his personality too much._

**Wesker:**_ What's up, doc?_

**Dr. Reid: **_Today, I thought we'd try something different._

**Wesker: **_Oh, you're quite direct, doc! I prefer women who take a slower, more seductive approach._

**Dr. Reid: **_Like Operative Daniels, I know. I saw last night's surveillance tape. I saw how you almost convinced her to open your cell door._

**Wesker:**_ What can I say? I'm a charmer!_

**Dr. Reid:**_ Anyway, I thought it would be good to talk about your childhood._

**Wesker:**_ Oh, haven't you heard of romance and seduction, doc? I don't just give away that kind of information for free! You're going to have to try harder._

**Dr. Reid:**_ If need be, we can employ some… _enhanced interrogation methods _to extract the information we want. It'd be better for you if it didn't come to that. What are you hiding?_

**Wesker: **(calculatingly) _Didn't you hear me? You scratch my back doc, and… well… I won't tear a hole in yours and rip out your beating heart…_

_**Subject Interview #5; October 19, 2185- 1219**_

**Dr. Reid: **_Taped interview five. Wesker is more interesting than I originally imagined. He seems to possess a limitless pain threshold; enhanced interrogation tactics only seem to make him happier. I believe that despite his apparent mental instability, he may be a viable test subject for Project Teltin._

_Good afternoon. Today, I thought we'd move back to our previous conversations about your family._

**Wesker:**_ Of course. I was born on a small mining town on an uncharted planet on the edge of the Terminus Systems. I always wanted to be a dancer on Omega, but my father wouldn't let me…_

**Dr. Reid: **_I don't believe you._

**Wesker:**_ My father was a cop on Earth- one week from retirement when the mob…_

**Dr. Reid: **_I've seen the vid._

**Wesker: **_Okay fine, would you believe this one? My family was slaughtered by batarian raiders. I escaped poverty to serve the Alliance when the geth attacked…_

**Dr. Reid: **_I know who you're referencing. Tell me- what are you scared of?_

**Wesker:**_ Scared?_

**Dr. Reid:**_ Yes- scared. There's obviously something in your background you're afraid of. Something that made you what you are._

**Wesker:**(slowly) _What if… what I'm too _scared _to remember? What if it hurts too much…?_

**Dr. Reid:** (confidently and assuring) _Then I can help you. _

_**Private Note #3- Dr. Jennifer Reid; October 21, 2185- 1156**_

**Dr. Reid:**_ These are the private notes of Dr. Reid. I believe my work with Wesker will be a success. The exact nature of his psychosis is still unknown; he exhibits symptoms that range anywhere from bipolar disorder to multiple personality disorder to schizophrenia. None of them fit his profile completely. But I believe I will be able to cure him of any instability. Once this has been accomplished, we will be able to see if Project Teltin can be…_

_(Door buzz from the other side of the room)_

**Unidentified Man:** (through intercom) _Dr. Reid, you ready?_

**Dr. Reid: **_Oh, oh yes! Come in!_

_(Door opens, followed by two sets of footsteps crossing the floor)._

**Wesker: **(mock hurt) _You'll hurt my feelings, doc; keeping me waiting like that!_

**Dr. Reid:**_ Sit down. You can leave us, Chris._

**Unidentified Man: **_You sure?_

**Dr. Reid: **_We're fine. Aren't we, Wesker?_

**Wesker: **_Oh yes!_

**Unidentified Man:**_ Well, if you say so. I'm just outside, okay?_

_(Footsteps crossing the floor followed by the door sliding open and shut)._

**Wesker:** _So is it a success? Has your leader heard of your glorious accomplishments?_

**Dr. Reid:**_ Yes, though the results were somewhat unexpected… but, enough of that. Let's talk about you._

**Wesker: **(suddenly very slowly and calculatingly) _No… let's talk more about your Cerberus database encryption keys…_

**Dr. Reid:**(pure shock) _My _**what**_…? How do you…_

**Wesker:**_ How do I know you've been giving out information on the galactic Cerberus database to a false operative in exchange for creds to fund your Teltin Project?... __**Would you believe a lucky guess…?**_

_**Private Note #4- Dr. Jennifer Reid; October 21, 2185- 1419**_

**Dr. Reid:**(panic) _I've been a fool! Wesker's been behind it all! _He's_ Jackson Creed! He gave me the money to fund Teltin; convinced me to provide information on Cerberus! How could I not have seen it?... He's been _blackmailing_ me! He has some bizarre interest in one of the Cerberus cells and wants to use the encryption keys I gave him to crack the main database and find out about them! I want out, but…_

_(Comm link beeps)_

**Dr. Reid:** _Hello? Hello? Dr. Reid's office._

**Unidentified female:**_ Please stay on the link for Mr. Creed._

**Dr. Reid: **_What?_

**Wesker**_**:**_ (lowly and calculatingly) _Hello, doc. We need to talk…_

**Dr. Reid: **(panicking)_ I'm not doing it, Wesker! Do you hear me?... Wait… __**how did you get access to a link…?**_

**Wesker: **_Oh, didn't I say? So sorry doc, but I had to run. I hate small, dark, confined spaces. Reminds me of my childhood._

**Dr. Reid:**_ …Is that another lie?_

**Wesker: **_Who knows? __**I **__certainly don't, but… let's not get hung up on details!... So, anyway- I _want_ the last part of this encryption key…_

**Dr. Reid: **_I sent you back the credits. I don't want them! _

**Wesker: **_Do I look like I care about credits? I just want the last part of this key, doc. If you don't give it me, well… it'd be better for you if it didn't come to that. Wouldn't be funny at all._

**Dr. Reid: **_But…_

**Wesker: **_Oh, never mind. I'll be able to crack this thing myself anyway… just wanted to see if I could make you hyperventilate a little longer. Oh, well… Gotta fly, doc! But don't worry. I left you a little parting gift on your desk to remember me by…. I'm sure it'll be a real killer! Too-de-loo, doc!_

**Dr. Reid:**_ Wesker, wait! _(line cuts off). _A parting gift? What does that… A joker playing card? What is that supposed to mean?... Wait a minute…why is it glowing pink? What could it… Oh my God. _(footsteps racing towards the door). _HELP! Someone sound the alarm…!_

_(A tremendous explosion followed by high-pitched horrible screaming. This continues for about ten seconds until the audio crackles several times before finally going dead)._

Shepard took a step back, staring at the console in silence for a minute. He eyed the screen tentatively, as though expecting someone to jump out of it and land in the room.

"_My analysis of the files are complete, Shepard._" EDI popped up again. "_The explosion at the end of the last audio transmission was due to a massive rupture in the bases' element zero fuel generators. Based on the schematics of the base, the office of Dr. Jennifer Reid was located right next to them. The initial detonation was strong enough to penetrate the walls and reach the generators._"

"Which blew the whole base to hell and back." Shepard murmured.

"_That is correct. The detonation was enough to destroy the Rakhana facility beyond repair, taking all those within the blast radius with it._"

Shepard's mouth formed a thin line. He reached up and stroked his jawline, his finger making a rasping sound. 

"I don't understand it, EDI. This guy Wesker attacks a fully-defended Cerberus base, intentionally gets himself captured for a week and then busts out, killing everyone in his path."

"_It is far more complex than that, Shepard. The individual known as Wesker paid Dr. Reid approximately three hundred thousand six hundred credits in the previous seven weeks to fund Project Teltin. However, it would appear that the advanced biotic project was merely a decoy; the true objective for him appears to have been obtaining information about the main Cerberus database, with special attention on the universal encryption keys._"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"_Cerberus encryption keys are specifically designed as fail safe systems. In the unlikely event of a situation that threatens the entire organization, the keys allow for rapid transmission of data to other cells. The operatives will not know to whom exactly they are sending the information based on a single key, but anyone with access to enough of them will be able to discover the current location of any known Cerberus agent in the galaxy, a privilege usually reserved solely for the Illusive Man. A total of five are needed to access the database. Dr. Reid provided Wesker unknowingly with four of them._"

"But he said he could crack the last one himself." Shepard frowned. "Is that even possible?"

"_Theoretically yes. However it would require extensive knowledge on encryption and hacking- a level that very few in the galaxy possess."_

"How extensive?"

"_More so than the tech skills of Legion and Tali'Zorah combined. That is a near impossibility._"

"EDI, I _saw_ the damn guy at work!" Shepard said in frustration. "His biotic skills are probably stronger than all the biotics on this team put together! What's to say that his tech skills can't be far superior as well?"

"_That is a possibility, but at the moment it is irrelevant. What are far more startling are the results of his DNA tests._"

"You mean that the guy officially doesn't exist?" Shepard said wearily. "Yeah; that's going to make applying to be a blood donor on the Citadel a little difficult."

"_No, it is startling due to the results that I myself conducted._"

Shepard stared at EDI's avatar in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"_On an estimate, I compared the DNA results of subject Wesker taken at the Rakhana base to those of the service personnel and crew aboard the _Normandy._ They reveal something truly shocking; one of the comparisons came up positive- an exact genetic match._"

Shepard felt his heart begin to beat faster. His brow became covered with a thin layer of sweat as he took a step towards EDI's avatar. "Hold on, EDI. Are you saying that… that Wesker is… is… _related _ to someone on this ship?"

"_It is not a simple relationship, Shepard; this is a one hundred percent match at all levels. With this level of genetic similarity, the only possibility is that Wesker is the match's other half- a genetic twin._"

Shepard swallowed hard. His lips opened and the question that he needed the answer to but was almost afraid to ask passed through them. "Which crewmember does the match belong to?"

"_I am uploading the data to your terminal. Please standby._"

Shepard turned towards the console as lines of code flashed before his eyes. In the pit of his stomach, he had a horrible feeling that, in the back of his mind, he already knew who EDI was talking about.

The console beeped and cleared for a moment. On the left side of the screen, a spinning genetic code appeared near the bottom. A picture of Wesker appeared right above it, along with his name. He looked exactly like he had on Omega; a maniacal grin creasing his pale face, his eyes seeming to jump right out at Shepard- as though he was _laughing_ at him…

On the right side of the console, another spinning genetic code appeared. As Shepard's eyes moved to focus on the new image, another picture popped up right above; he automatically turned his attention to it.

His blood froze in his veins. He tried to move, but his legs wouldn't respond. He was vaguely aware of standing on his feet inside of his own cabin, but it didn't register to him. Nothing in the room registered- except _that_.

"EDI, this has to be some kind of mistake." He managed to say.

"_There is no mistake, commander. My calculations are correct. There is no possibility that this match could be wrong._"

Shepard stumbled back against the wall behind him. His eyes couldn't tear themselves away; from the screen, from the picture that was so familiar to him… from the name underneath it.

_Miranda Lawson._

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review!**


	17. A Family Package

**A Family Package**

**A/N: First off, I apologize for not having updated in three and a half months. Rest assured I haven't forgotten about this story. University + social life + other stories + not knowing what to put in this chapter = severe lack of updates. This chapter isn't particularly long, but I'm hoping it will make up for it in content. Enjoy!**

_Unidentified Freighter Vessel- 200 miles outside the Omega Mass Relay_

"What the hell are we even doing here?" A batarian wearing standard Blue Suns armour grunted, both in frustration and strain. "You said we'd be doing a little 'cleaning up'. Normally when you say that, it means we'll be paying someone who doesn't want to pay their protection money a little visit- _my_ kind of cleaning." His arms strained as he struggled to hold onto the large metal crate in his arms while moving sideways at the same time. "I didn't think you meant hauling damn crates from the underbelly of Omega onto ships destined for who-knows-where!"

"_I_ didn't say that- _he_ did!" A strained Irish male voice replied from the other side of the crate. "I'm not real happy about this either, in case you haven't noticed!"

"So why the hell are we doing this? I thought we supposed to be in this business for ourselves. You know- made a lot of creds, kill a few troublemakers who refuse to pay- when did we become slaves for some freak guy with a stupid grin?"

"Freak _guy_?" Reaching the end of the room, the two bent down and set the crate on the ground. Standing back up and letting a large breath, the cold-faced blond man stared at his batarian fellow merc. "Do I hear a hidden 'human' under that?"

"Hey, don't get your back up." The batarian growled. "If I was going to say 'human', I would've. Yeah, you humans are a pissy bunch, but we're in this group together. Long as you don't steal my share of the creds or try to put a round in my skull, we'll be good." All four eyes narrowed at the human. "But _this_ guy… Have you even taken a really good look at him? Where does a human get teeth and nails like _that_? Are those two eyes of yours as weak as they are small?"

"Well, at least one of his eyes is bigger than your whole brain, Jax." A female voice attracted their attention from the left; a young attractive Asian woman wearing standard armour walked over to them, a look of bemusement on her face. "He's not the one who almost got us all killed with his big, flapping mouth last week."

"No. He was the one willing to throw away everything the Blue Suns stand for. _I_ was the one who at least made sure it wasn't for nothing." The batarian growled. "Without me, we'd be out half a million creds and working just to spare our lives. At least I haven't forgotten what we stand for."

"I haven't forgotten. I just wanted to make sure we lived long enough to remember it." The male human retorted. "If it weren't for me, he probably would have ripped your ugly face off."

"He'd be all the prettier without it." The woman smirked. "Maybe you should have let him, Ian."

"Yeah, joke all you want, Zara." The batarian named Jax said pointedly. "If it weren't for me, we'd still be on Omega, getting slaughtered like a pack of rabid varren. This way, we grab our creds for a crappy job and get established somewhere else. Or at least, that's how it's _supposed_ to work! I haven't seen a damn credit since we took this job!"

Ian scoffed. "Sure, that's all your bloody mind cares about! Credits this, credits that. What do you want me to do, pull 'em out my ass? Look, you got us into this job and we're going to ride it out. The sooner we get it over with, the sooner we'll be back to our old job."

"What's in this thing anyway?" Zara murmured, staring down at their cargo. "And why does it have a Cerberus logo all over it?"

No one answered for a moment as they all stared down at the crate it front of them. Solid black and made of nearly indestructible steel, it was about the size of a medium storage container. Plastered in the centre of all four sides was the yellow symbol of Cerberus.

"How the hell do you know what the symbol means?" Jax demanded.

"I _am_ human after all." Zara crossed her arms with a pitying look on her face. "And unlike you two, I actually am capable of watching, learning and observing."

"Gee, thanks for the encouragement." Ian retorted sarcastically, to which Zara merely rolled her eyes.

"Fine; whatever makes you happy." Jax interrupted. "But the bottom line is that we were promised compensation for this job and I haven't seen a single credit for it yet! And here you two are, doing this job without even _asking_ about when we get paid! And not keeping your guns out at all times back on Omega! You know what I think? I think you guys are crazy."

There was a _click_ and a whirl from the other end of the room signalled the automated door opening. "And what's wrong with _that_?" The low, gravelly, tangy-accented voice drew their attention as a figure stepped into the room slowly, hands folded behind his back and still hidden largely in the shadows. "It's done _wonders_ for me!"

All four of Jax's eyes ticked as they passed over the individual, teeth grinding and fists clenched. But anything he was planning to say was cut off by Ian quickly interrupting. "We got your crate from the underbelly of the Theta station as you asked- no thanks to you! Do you even watch where you throw those bombs or whatever the hell they are? An explosion almost took my bloody head off!"

"Oh- I'm _sorry_." The figure said in a pseudo-hurt tone. "I'll be sure to be more _PRECISE the next time I'm planning a galactic station assault!_"

All three mercs flinched under the sudden rage of the man still hidden in the shadows. Ian quickly raised his hand. "Hey, hey, take it easy! I- I was just making an observation, that's all!"

"Hey- criticism I can take." The figure replied, gesturing with his hands. "I mean, I'm not _perfect_… actually- now that I think about it… I guess I pretty much _am_. But let's not dwell on the subject.

"Criticism from a rodent such as _you_- a rodent who's only breathing in and out because _I_ chose to let you live is something I _will not tolerate_! Why, in my mind…"

"In _your _mind?" Jax took an angry step forward, having been listening in raging silence. "Ever since you manipulated your way into this group, it's been 'my mind' this and 'my mind' that!"

Ian put his hand on the batarian's shoulder. "Uh, Jax…"

Jax tugged his arm free and pointed at the shadowy figure, who turned to the wall and began tapping his razor-sharp extended nails against it. "Your mind's as crazy as your ideas, human; even _if_ you are what you say you are! And personally, I think you're a fucking liar!"

The figure stopped tapping against wall. "Ah, such a big, brave galaxy." He turned towards them, a large grin visible on his face despite the darkness. "That has such fools in it…"

Jax angrily turned towards his companions. "He's got us selling out our own mercs to bring a piece of crap metal off of Omega, and yet we haven't seen one damn cred! He won't tell us what his plan is, if he even _has_ one!" He took several large steps towards the figure. "I. Want. _Out_!"

A brief flash passed over the figure's eyes as he stared at the batarian. "Well," he said slowly, "if you absolutely _insist_…"

His right hand slipped slowly in the left inner folds of his jacket, his eyes never leaving Jax's face. Near the back of the room, Ian and Zara both froze, their heartbeats immediately doubling.

Jax's eyes opened wider and he held up his hands, slowly backing. "Hey…" He said quietly, a neutral smile on his face. "Relax, human. I was just kidding."

The figure's grinning gaze never left the batarian's own. His left wrist stopped in his jacket and bent slightly. It stayed like that for a just a second, motionless, then suddenly flicked outward. Jax automatically shut his eyes and put his hands up; there was a whizz as something flew past his head followed by _chink _of something cutting into metal. Daring to crack open his eyes, he looked and saw a joker playing card embedded in the metal wall by one corner, mere inches from his face.

His finger still outstretched, the figure murmured, "_So was I_." He chuckled ominously, lowering his hand and leaning backwards.

Ian and Zara, who had both been frozen with nervous tension, instantly relaxed and let out sighs of relief. Jax turned back towards them, a relieved and triumphant look on his face, as though he had come out victorious in a protection payment negotiation.

Looking away, he didn't see the maniacal grin on the face of the figure as he pointed a couple of fingers towards the card in the wall. A bright red aura surround his hand; an identical one surrounded the card, just as the batarian was turning back around.

Jax never saw the bright red light flash, nor did he see the card dislodge itself from the wall. The last thing he heard as he turned around was the brief _whoosh_ of the aura- surrounded card flying through the air, followed by a curt _slice_. He felt only a shock of pain as the biotically-charged object rammed itself into his throat and let out only the briefest of pained shouts before flying backwards about ten feet. He landed with a heavy crash on the metal floor, his four eyes staring wide out into the depths of space, the card protruding out of the centre of his throat, a thin river of beige blood leaking out onto the floor.

The figure gave a mock look of shock. "Whoops." The shock was immediately replaced a wide grin as he stepped into the light, his pale face literally gleaming with mania. "_No, I wasn't_."

Ian and Zara both froze and tensed up as Wesker began walking towards the back of the room, still staring at Jax's body as he went on. "And that's _also_ what was in my mind..."

An inquisitive look came into Wesker's face as he stopped a few metres away from the pair. He tapped one of his fingers against his chin as he spoke. "You know guys, so much has happened to me in the last few weeks of my life. New outlook, new goals, even my own arch-nemesis..."

The two mercs looked nervously as the man stared off into space, his claws clicking together menacingly. A very tense moment, he turned towards them, grinning from ear to ear. "But now I'm in the game! I'm ready to play. And my debut is going to set the whole galaxy on fire!" He looked toward his two companions. "I have to know you guys are with me on this. Will you say it for me. Ian?"

The Irishman drew himself up as tall as could. "I'm with you." He replied, trying to keep his voice from shaking in fear.

Wesker's eyes passed to woman beside Ian. "Zara?"

She swallowed hard, but managed to sound calm when she spoke. "I'm with you."

"Jax?" A look of confusion came onto Wesker's face when the dead batarian didn't reply. "Oh right!" Wesker said, turning a grinning face to his live companions. "_Dead_." He indicated towards the body. "Zara, do us a big favour and take out the trash. There's a good mercenary."

Zara cast an undecipherable look at Ian before stepping forward to deal with the task at hand. Slipping her hands underneath the batarian's upper arms, she struggled to pull the near two hundred pounds of dead weight across the the floor towards the front door.

Grinning at the situation, Wesker turned his attention back to the Irishman. "Now that is truly heart-warming. Your renewed faith puts a smile on my face!" He placed a hand on Ian's shoulder, seemingly ignorant of the shudder that went through the Blue Suns merc as he began guiding him towards the back. "What don't we just forget about the unfortunate events of the past few minutes and start anew? What do you say?"

"Uh... sure. Why not?" Ian replied uncertainly.

"Excellent!" Wesker grinned. But his attention was not on the mercenary, but on the crate on the ground. "Now that _that's_ been sorted out, let's focus on more pressing matters." He took a step forward and knelt on one knee in front of the crate. "Such as this fine piece of tin."

Ian frowned. Unconsciously taking a step backwards as though the combination of the crate and psycho in front of it would result in a massive explosion. "I don't understand why you wanted us to get that thing. I don't understand how you even knew it was _on_ Omega! What the hell's so important about it?"

Wesker gave a low chuckle as his claws tapped the top of the crate. "Why don't we call it a... post-meeting present? After all the trouble I went to get this, I hope it's well-received. You never can tell with these new-found ones."

Ian bit back the response on the tip of his tongue that it was _he_ was the one to retrieve the crate and not Wesker, fearing he wouldn't live long enough to finish the sentence. Instead he said, "But this is a bit much, don't you think? I mean, stealing something from Cerberus? I'm not touching that thing any more than I already have; maybe it's wired to blow the second you try to open it!"

Wesker's lips curled into an amused grin as he chuckled. His eyes moved across the crate for a few seconds before settling on the desired spot. "Or," he said, "maybe you just don't have the magic touch."

"Huh?"

Still crouching, Wesker slowly reached out a hand and pressed it on top of an indented space of the bottom right-hand corner of the crate's top. The space immediately lit up brighter. A thin strip of light passed from top to bottom and then from right to left beneath his hand. There was faint whirling sound that lasted a few seconds, then a _click_. The indented space turned a bright green, and a raspy automated voice echoed throughout the room.

"_DNA scan verified. Welcome Operative Miranda Lawson._"

Ian raised an eyebrow and stared at the crate, as though still expecting it to blow up in his face. Wesker withdrew his hand and held it up to his face, his eyes slightly narrowed in curiosity.

"Huh," he murmured in a tone that was barely audible for anyone else to hear. "Now that _is_ interesting..."

Staring at it for another moment, he abruptly stood up and turned towards Ian. "Looks like your luck of the Irish has come, Belfast Boy! The way I see it, we're going to have some good old-fashioned laughs out of this little toy!"

"You mean you know what this thing is?"

"Oh, yes." Wesker turned back to the crate, grinning widely.

"And I know _just_ the place to set it free..."

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review and give me feedback!**

**Next chapter will be mostly around Miranda and be VERY interesting. I'll try to upload faster!**


	18. Trust vs Safety

**Trust vs. Safety**

"EDI, check your records again. There's got to be a mistake." Shepard ordered, his voice just barely on the side of calm.

"_There is no mistake, Shepard,_" the AI responded in the permanently calm voice. "_My analysis of the genetic structure taken from the Rakhana Base's system is accurate. There is one hundred percent DNA match between Subject Wesker and former Operative Lawson._"

"But Miranda never said anything about having another sibling! She said that she was the first one her father kept and that Oriana was the only one that was kept after her. She never mentioned anything about having a brother!"

"_I cannot give specific reasons as to why it did not come up earlier. His age is nearly impossible to say with certainty, but he has the same or superior physical characteristics as former Operative Lawson. This suggests that his age range is about the same as hers. Given the circumstances, the most likely scenario is that Wesker was created at around the same time that she was. As to why there is no record of him until this point, I cannot say._"

"Did she know about him at all?"

"_Unlikely. Nothing in the data files I have analyzed suggests that there is prior knowledge between the two. And there is little evidence which points to Wesker being created after Miranda had fled from her father. The most likely scenario is that the existence of Wesker was kept secret from former Operative Lawson. I cannot, however, tell you the reason why he has only appeared on record at this particular time._"

Shepard sank back onto a nearby chair, his head spinning from the acute assault of news. _Brother_. Wesker was Miranda's _twin_ _brother_? How was that possible?

He knew on the surface it seemed almost ridiculous for him trying to understand and rationalize what would be considered normal in Miranda's life; after all, he had known her personally for barely a month. And yet, even in the last couple of weeks, he felt he had learned more about Miranda than anyone else had in years. In the course of a month, he had watched her go from the Illusive Man's personal top agent with the coldest personality he had ever known to a genuinely warmhearted caring woman. How could he _not_ feel some responsibility for that? His relationship with her had convinced her to open up to him- to show him that she was more than what she showed to everyone else. Could he really say that after just a couple of weeks of seeing the 'real' Miranda that he truly 'knew' her? It seemed to be unrealistic, something that just could not be true. And yet he knew it _was_ true. He had felt it the moment they had returned from their rescue mission on Illium. To deny that was foolish.

And now it seemed it had all been for nothing.

"_Shepard,_" EDI broke the silence, "_Shall I inform former Operative Lawson about my recent discoveries concerning Wesker's true identity_?"

Shepard's attention was caught immediately as he rose his head at the query. It suddenly occurred to him just how serious a situation this really was, and how big the consequences could be from it. Miranda, who'd been estranged from her father for nearly twenty years, had taken her much younger twin sister with her to escape their father's grasp. Now, all these years later, she'd taken steps to make sure that Oriana was well beyond his reach, only to find her in a different kind of danger once again. And after everything she'd gone through- everything she'd done to make sure her sister was safe- she had found Oriana lying dead on the floor of her apartment, ravaged by an almost literal animal.

Now, the news was coming in that this animal was not a mere stranger or a Cerberus operative hired by the Illusive Man to strike back at Miranda's betrayal, but her own flesh and blood. Miranda had lost one sibling at the hands of another sibling- one she did not know even existed. How would she take that? Would she have a clear mind and think things practically like she had done in the past few weeks? Or would she, for one of the first times in her life, allow her emotions to get the better of her? The first time that had happened, it was in admitting her feelings for Shepard. The second time was in turning her back on Cerberus and the Illusive Man. What would the third time be? Would she revert back into what she was previously- a cold, emotionless woman with little time for personal relationships? He didn't want to happen- not now. He _couldn't_. Not after seeing the person she truly was. He couldn't let that happen. He _wouldn't_.

"No," he replied firmly after a moment. "She has enough issues right now without dealing with that. You said yourself that she likely didn't even know she _had_ a brother up to this point. There's no point in letting her know this way."

"_Are you sure about that, Shepard? The withholding of information of this importance could prove counterproductive in the future._"

"Damn it EDI, just do what I say!" Shepard snapped. "If anyone's going to tell Miranda anything, it's going to be me. Until then, this news is not to be given out to _anyone_. Is that understood?"

"_Perfectly, Shepard_."

"Then that's all for now."

"_Of course. Logging you out, Shepard_."

As the AI's avatar disappeared, Shepard let out another sigh and placed a hand on his forehead. He could feel the beginnings of a headache begin to ease their way into his cranium, and the wounds he had suffered on Omega were starting to throb more noticeably; though his medi-gel distribution system in his armour had largely taken care of them, he had yet to see Dr. Chakwas to get a clear bill of health. Of course, he'd been a bit preoccupied up until now.

Sitting there, he couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt sweep over him. He had told EDI to deliberately withhold information from Miranda- important information; information that she would likely need to know to effectively map out a plan of action. A sense of nostalgia came over him as he reflected back to just a few weeks prior, when the level of trust between him and Miranda had been near zero. He had been suspicious of her seemingly unshakeable loyalty to Cerberus and she had been suspicious of his opposition to Cerberus. And now, after the last couple weeks of making progress and breaking down barriers, he felt as if he had just thrown that all away.

There was no easy way to put it- he was _lying_ to her.

Shepard gave his head a brief shake. No- not lying. _Withholding_. Withholding information from her for the greater good. Miranda had believed- and likely still did to some extent- that the ends justify the means. The knowledge that this situation was interlinked with her family that she had left behind would only be counterproductive to her. She would become emotionally involved- and as much as Shepard preferred a Miranda with emotion to the old emotionless one, it would not be a good emotion that ran through her. She would become too involved, too narrowly focused; she would ignore everything else that was around her, including any danger.

She might get hurt. Or worse. As strong as she was and as capable as she was, she was still human. And humans were not immortal. They were not immune from death...

He would _not_ let that happen. He would protect her- even if she didn't want him to. He would not let her go back to being what she was. He had made her a promise and he intended to keep it.

Even if it meant lying to...

"_Commander!_" Joker's frantic voice interrupted Shepard's thoughts. "_We have a situation on Deck 3_!"

Shepard's head jerked up towards the ceiling. "What's going on, Joker?"

"_It's Miranda!_"

Shepard felt his heart begin to race and a sweat break out over his forehead. He was off the couch and heading towards the door in an instant. "What happned?" He said frantically. "Is she alright?"

"_Negative! She's convulsing in the Med Bay! Mordin and Doctor Chakwas are over there now! I think they said she's going into shock!_"

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback!**

**I'm sorry for the wait and relatively short chapter but I think Miranda deserved a chapter dedicated entirely to herself- which will be the next one.**


	19. Two People, One Mind

**Two People, One Mind**

Miranda splashed the cold water onto her face in the sink. It ran down her face in large drops, skimming down the pale skin. She took a deep breath, keeping her head down to try to compose herself before finally raising it to look at her reflection in the mirror.

Upon reaching Deck 3, she had headed straight for her own office, but after a few minutes had gone to the women's bathroom, needing to compose herself before any other members of the crew saw her in the state she was in. Other than Shepard, she didn't want anyone else to see her in such a vulnerable state; personal tragedy or not, she was the still the executive officer of this ship. She needed to command respect and she couldn't do that while being broken up over her deceased sister.

_Oriana_.

Just the mere thought of the name made her lip begin to tremble and her eyes begin to moisten again. She quickly splashed some more water onto her face in an effort to get control of herself.

In her mind, she didn't believe she even deserved to think her name. It was a deliberate blow to her; a reminder of her failure.

How ironic was it? She had been engineered to be perfect, been given the best genes money could buy, and had become her own person despite what other people had tried to mould her into. And yet, after all that, after all her accomplishments and successes, there was no doubt in her mind that Oriana had been the better of them. She had been innocent- normal. Her life had been as it should. Miranda had done her best to make sure that Oriana would have a nice normal life. She had only recently revealed to Oriana who she was. Oriana had been surprised and then delighted, eager to talk to and get to know her new-found older sister. Despite the notable age difference, from the way that had briefly talked, Miranda could have sworn they had grown up together. Miranda initially hadn't been sure if it would have been a wise move to talk with her again, but those few minutes had completely changed her mind; after talking with her, she knew she wanted to do so many times for many years to come.

Now she would never get the chance.

With a sigh, she grabbed a towel off the rack and dried her face. In the bathroom she had stripped out of her blood-stained black suit and slipped into her old white one. After seeing the Cerberus symbol still attached to her chest in the mirror, she had forcefully removed it; it was a reminder of who she was and the things she had done in the past several years. She had no use of it, or of Cerberus, now; in the back of her mind, she made a mental note to burn it, along with her black outfit. She didn't know what felt more contaminating; her clothes stained in her sister's blood or the symbol representing the group she had formerly belonged to. Both disgusted her equally.

Drying off her hands, Miranda flung the towel down next to the sink with slightly more force than was necessary. As she did so, a sharp wave of pain suddenly soared through her index finger. Biting back a cry, she looked down and saw she had cut it on a sharp piece of metal sticking out of one of the taps; a thin river of red blood was leaking out of her pale skin and into the sink.

Miranda cursed herself for being so careless. She was becoming to emotionally caught up and distracted; now she couldn't even perform the simplest task without something going wrong. Muttering several obscenities under her breath, she activated her omni-tool and applied a tiny bit of medi-gel to close up the wound.

"_Miranda, don't you understand? I'm your friend..."_

A bout of sadistic laughter followed this statement; at the very same moment, Miranda's head suddenly exploded as if being hit full force unshielded by a concussive round. She grabbed it in both hands and stumbled back, back hitting against the wall. All at once, her mind wall filled with an armada of images.

_Jackson Creed slamming his biotically-charged hand onto the floor, sending a Shockwave throughout the area._

_Creed throwing a biotically-charged playing card directly at her face._

_Creed violently attacking Shepard and throwing him through the air._

_Creed smirking at Miranda as he launched a biotic attack on her._

"_All I've ever wanted was to travel the galaxy. Go new places, meet new people... and then kill them."_

A new image.

_Creed pinning Oriana to the ground. Her eyes were wide with fear and pleading. Creed raises his hand over his head, his claws extending out further. He lifts his head and looks directly at her. Words fall from his mouth._

"_My name is Wesker..."_

_He strikes._

Miranda's eyes snapped open, breaths coming out in gasps. Her pale face was covered in sweat and her dark hair was now tangled up and messy. She looked around but all she could see was the quiet stillness of the bathroom.

Standing up, she was shocked to find her legs trembling slightly as she walked over to the sink. Propping herself up, she put her head down and took several deep breaths in an attempt to slow her racing heart. After a few moments, she looked up into her reflection in the mirror.

Her eyes widened as her reflection shimmered and shook, causing doubles to appear several times over around it. Her image began to change and morph, taking a different shape; a different image.

In the space where her reflection should have been now stood the smirking image of the very man she had seen on Omega. The man had who introduced himself as Jackson Creed.

The man who had _just now called himself 'Wesker'._

"No..." Miranda murmured under her breath as she shook her head. "No, you're not real. You're in my mind. You're not real..."

"_I'm your friend, Miranda,"_ Wesker said, holding his hands out towards her.

"You're _not_ my friend!" Miranda stepped back with one foot and pointed at him. "You're not even human. You're some type of... monster!"

"_No!"_ He responded, mirroring her actions. _"The others, _they're_ the monsters! Cerberus, your father, the Illusive Man, _Shepard_... they're all trying to hurt you. Use you... kill you..."_

"NO!" Miranda shouted, putting one hand on her head. "This is not real! You're just an image in my head. What you're saying isn't real!"

"_Oh, yes it is!"_ Wesker declared, pointing a finger at her. _"And that's why you should let me _stop_ them!"_

Miranda stared at him in disbelief. "_Stop_ them? Do you think you're my guardian angel all of a sudden? Even if you were real, I wouldn't let you do it. It would be counter-productive- _wrong_..."

"_Wrong is what they're doing to _you_!"_ Wesker stared at her. _"And what they did to _little Oriana_..."_

Immediately Miranda's defences went up. "Don't you _dare_ mention her name, you son of a bitch! Don't you _dare_! _You're_ the one who murdered her! I will hunt you to the edge of galaxy if I have to, do you understand me? You're _not_ my friend!"

Wesker smirked and gave an amused chuckle. _"Oh, I think you'll find I'm much more than just your friend... _Miri_."_

The biotic implant in the back of Miranda's skull began to vibrate violently. Rage coursed throughout her body. With a cry of rage, she lifted her hand, a blue aura encircling it. Taking a step forward, she drew it back and brought it towards the image of his smirking face.

"_Miranda..."_

Miranda froze in mid-swing, her fist suspended in mid-air. The voice completely arrested her, stopped her in her tracks. It was a female voice, not _his_. She'd heard it once before, briefly. She turned her head to the direction it came from on the right.

The door to the bathroom was open, exposing the brightly-lit exterior. Clinging to the right side of the doorway _was Oriana_. Wearing the same clothes she was when Miranda had first encountered her, her face and body were clean and scar free, bearing no semblance of the brutal attack she had suffered. However, the fear and pleading in her eyes far outweighed any physical injury she might have had; it was enough to send chills down the spine of anyone who looked into them.

"Please," she said, her voice both small and strained as she looked into the eyes of her sister, "_help me, Miranda..._"

Immediately, an unseen force yanked her off the edge, her hands clawing for something to grab onto, her eyes never wavering as she was dragged out of sight. A small cry of fear escaped from her throat, and then all fell silent.

Miranda's heart began pounding so hard and so fast, she could hear it in her ears. Her hand remained frozen in the air, the biotic aura having receded several moments earlier. For a single moment, she stood immobilized on the spot, unable to move, her eyes glued to the doorway until the doors slid shut with a _whoosh_. It was then that she finally found the will to lower her arm and quickly moved towards the door.

The first thing she noticed when she exited the bathroom was the trail of red blood just beside the door leading to the right and around the corner; Miranda's own blood chilled inside her veins as she quickly moved to follow it.

As she stepped into common area, she couldn't help but shiver, as though a cold draft had suddenly swept through the room. Looking around, she was surprised to see that the area was completely deserted; the crew members that normally occupied this area of the ship had disappeared, Mess Sergeant Gardner among them. The entire area seemed to be filled with this deep sense of foreboding; to Miranda's ears, if she listened hard enough, she could almost hear something beneath the silence- a slow gasping, almost moaning-like sound that appeared and disappeared every few seconds. A shiver ran down her spine as she tried to ignore it.

Following the blood trail, she noticed that it led right into the Med Bay. Her hand poised to unleash a biotic attack if necessary, she stepped through the doors as they slid open.

Stopping just inside the doorway, she paused as the doors closed behind her. The room, like the area outside was deserted; there was no sign of Dr. Chakwas, and the room to the AI core where Legion usually remained, was locked. The trail of blood trailed off a few feet into the Med Bay. But as Miranda looked around the room, she noticed something very strange; three black body-bags lying on different beds in the bay. The first was on the left side closest to the door; the second was in the centre on the right side; the third was on the left side at the end of the room near the AI core.

Her brows furrowed; when she came into the Med Bay with Oriana's body not an hour previous, there were no other body-bags in the room, and EDI had not mentioned any other bodies being taken aboard. _So what the hell are they doing in here? Who's in them?_

Taking a couple of steps towards the first bag on the left side, she slid the zipper down, opening up the bag and exposing the figure underneath it.

Her eyes widened in shock and her heart skipped a beat. In front of her, clad in full armour, was the _body of Shepard_.

His face was turned away from her, his skin completely white- as though all the blood had been drained from his body. But there were no wounds or injuries visible to her eye that looked like they could have caused it. He looked like he had just fallen down and _died_.

And then, at that moment, his head _turned towards her_. Miranda found herself staring into his eyes; like his skin, they were completely white- no pupils, no irises. Nothing but white emptiness.

She willed herself to speak. "Shepard?" She said, barely above a whisper.

His mouth began to move, words coming out in low, echoing sounds. "_You should have stopped him, Miri. Like a real woman._"

Then, without a sound, both Shepard and the body-bag shimmered once and then vanished before her eyes.

Miranda blinked, her throat giving an involuntary large swallow as she stared down at the now empty bed in front of her. Had she really just seen what she thought she had just seen? It couldn't be real. _Could it?_

As she took a step back from the bed, her eyes drifted towards the second bag just a few feet away from where she stood. Hesitating for just a brief moment, she walked towards the bed it lay on and unzipped it.

Her blood ran cold in her veins. "Oriana?"

The ghost-white face of her sister turned towards her. "_Help me, Miri,_" she begged in a croaking voice; the wounds making up her Glasgow smile opened up slightly each time her mouth moved, revealing the muscle beneath the surface. "_Don't let me die..._"

Miranda reached towards her. "Oriana!"

There was a shimmer. And then she was gone.

Miranda withdrew her hand, her breathing having skyrocketed in the past moment. She looked up towards the final body-bag near the door to the AI core. A flash of adrenaline swept through her body in that split moment; she walked swiftly towards it and pulled the zipper down.

A few seconds passed. Nothing happened.

Then suddenly, the bag burst open with such a violent force it nearly ripped apart, and the figure burst upwards at a starling speed; Miranda found herself staring into the maniacally-grinning face of Wesker. As his eyes flashed a bright red, she stumbled backwards onto the floor, painfully smacking her head against the tile. Groggily, she reached out with her hand to grab hold of something- anything- and found the edge of the bed. As she pulled herself up, she heard something new- something soft and deliberate. A slow jingle.

Looking down, she saw that both Wesker and the bag had disappeared, just like the other two, but unlike with the others something had appeared in its place; a small wooden music box with a small doll figure in it. The doll was spinning around slowly in a circle, a soft jingle flew from it, giving it a creepy appearance in contrast to the young image of the doll.

Staring at it, a sudden realization flew through Miranda's mind- _she recognized this music box_. It was birthday present she had bought for Oriana the year before she had fled with her; one of the few things she had bought on her own as opposed to being given. Miranda's father had never allowed her to have any contact with her sister out of fear it could lessen her potential, but Miranda had been determined to give her something just this once. She had spent months looking for the perfect gift; just when it seemed that she going to run out of time, she had spotted lying in the back of a common souvenir shop. As far as appearances go, it was far from spectacular, but to Miranda it had looked like the most beautiful thing in the world. She had sent it to Oriana- anonymously, of course, in the hopes that she would enjoy it- and know that it was a gift from someone who loved her very much.

Now it looked more like an object out of a horror vid.

Miranda took an involuntary step away from the box, as if the open lid had expelled an evil presence into the room. As she did, a flash of light radiated off the back wall followed by a low rumbling sound. She suddenly felt a chilling wind sweep across her from behind; a cold drop of liquid hit against the exposed top part of the back of her neck.

Turning around, Miranda stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening; beyond the entrance of the Med Bay, the _entire part of the ship had disappeared_. In the place where the door should have been where jagged pieces of broken tile everywhere, as though the Med Bay had been ripped completely away from the rest of the _Normandy_. The spot where the rest of Deck 3 had been was now a completely open area surrounded by dark grey clouds. Lightning flashed everywhere and thunder rumbled directly overhead; cold rain fell down from above, soaking the floor.

Her eyes staring in almost transfixed state in front of her, Miranda slowly walked to the room's exit, where instead of a door, there was now a platform jutting out over the abyss. As she reached the end, Miranda looked downward over the edge; there was no bottom in sight. Instead, there was a giant spinning circle of light, almost like a gateway to Hell- if there was such a thing.

Another flash of lightning was followed by a particularly loud _crash_ of thunder- so loud in fact, it made Miranda wince. As she automatically moved her head away, she caught a glimpse of something in the dark sky overhead; the clouds were billowing a bright red in stark contrast to the grey that surrounded them. In the middle of it was a giant black symbol.

Cerberus.

As she stared up at the symbol, a sudden wave of pain, similar to an electric shock, shot through her head, causing her to drop to one knee and clutch her head in her hands. At the same time, sadistic laughter cut through the air; it didn't come from any one direction, but rather from _all_ directions. It was overwhelming- consuming. Miranda shook her head violently, as to clear the voices from her mind. To her, they were coming from her- _within_ her.

A massive burst of red light suddenly exploded from the open spot right in front of her, the force of which knocked her right on her back. The laughter stopped at the same time, and the entire area was bathed in red light; the ground beneath her started shaking.

A figure rose up in front of her, covered in a bright red biotic aura- Wesker. As he rose up from the depths and hung in the air, his eyes flashed bright red; he cocked his head as he observed Miranda, who lay transfixed on the ground, frozen- unable to move at all.

"_Poor little Miri,_" Wesker's voice echoed around her in a demonic tone; he spread his arms upward and out to the side. "_You're in __**my **__world now..._

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback!**

**Be sure to vote for which ME2 squadmate you most want to return as a team member in ME3 on my profile!**


	20. More than Meets the Eye

**More Than Meets The Eye**

Shepard frantically pounded on the wall of the elevator, willing and cursing it to go faster as it made the almost unbearably slow descent down to the third deck. His heart rattled with fear as his mind blocked out the repeated requests from EDI to avoid aggressive action towards the elevator while it was in motion. _Miranda was going into shock_; the only thing on his mind was getting to her as quickly as possible. Everything else could wait.

When the elevator finally arrived on the crew deck the commander barely waited until the doors had opened before sprinting out of it and rounding the corner. As he approached the Med Bay, he could see a flurry of activity through the windows; a new wave of fear swept over him as he observed a large circular crack in one of the glass panes.

Racing through the door, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him. Equipment was scattered on the floor everywhere as though a huge gust of wind had blown through the room. On the right side, Mordin was working extra quickly, his hands forming one solid blur, apparently prepping some type of syringe. On the furthest bed away from the door on the left, Legion was holding down a violently struggling Miranda, now wearing her old white uniform; the Cerberus insignia, he noticed, had been removed. Dr. Chakwas was frantically trying to activate the bed's auto restraints, narrowly avoiding being kicked in the face by the former Cerberus officer in the process.

"What's going on? What happened to her?" Shepard demanded.

"I don't know!" Dr. Chakwas declared, pounding on the console next to the bed. "I left the Med Bay for two minutes to ask Mordin for something, I came back and Miss Lawson was here screaming and shouting into thin air!"

"What about?"

"Topic irrelevant now!" Mordin responded. "Patient going into deep shock! Need to sedate before she goes into cardiac arrest! Request other queries be delayed until situation dealt with!"

"Requesting assistance, Shepard-Commander," Legion interjected.

Shepard raced across the room towards the bed, only now getting a clear view of what was happening. Miranda looked to be in a state of a conscious nightmare; her eyes were open but it was clear no one was home. Her trashing arms and legs made it impossible to restrain her to the bed. A light blue aura surrounding her was the only warning he got. His eyes widened and he shouted, "Look out!"

His warning came a fraction of a second too late as a biotic blast sent Legion flying across the room, crashing into a wall. Dr. Chakwas ducked for cover. Mordin scurried out of the way as another blast flew past his head, making a large dent in the opposite wall.

"Alert!" Legion called out. "This room is not adequately shielded against internal damage."

"Can you stop her before she tears a hole in the bulkhead?" Dr. Chakwas called out frantically from somewhere behind the bed.

Shepard grabbed hold of Miranda from behind, wrapping his arms around her stomach in an effort to restrain her. It was no easy task; even with his cybernetic upgrades, her genetic enhancement made her just as strong as he was. And she was not making it easy for him.

"Mordin, do it now!" He forced out, straining to keep Miranda still.

The salarian scurried over and peeled back the former Cerberus officer's glove, exposing her pale hand and forearm. As Shepard leaned against Miranda's shoulder, she could hear her murmuring feverishly under hear breath, "_You're going to pay for what you did to her, Wesker..._"

Shepard froze, staring at her in shock. A second later, Miranda tensed up and suddenly leaped forward, unleashing a bloodcurdling scream not unlike the one she had made at the discovery of Oriana's body. With an extra effort, he managed to haul her back. Mordin grabbed hold of her wrist and injected the sedative into her bloodstream. Immediately Shepard felt Miranda's struggles subside and the tenseness leave her body. As he gently guided her body onto the bed, he saw her beautiful eyes pass over him for a second before slowly closing.

Dr. Chakwas collapsed onto another bed, her face covered in sweat. Mordin drew breaths in at a rate even quicker than what was normal for him. As Legion picked itself up off the floor, Shepard passed an eye over the room. "What the hell happened in here? What happened to her?"

"I have no idea, commander." Dr. Chakwas sat up, passing a hand over her face. "I went to see Mordin for no more than two minutes to ask his opinion on something. When we came back here, the Med Bay was in chaos and Miss Lawson was standing in the middle shouting at thin air and glowing with biotic power. If Legion hadn't left the drive core at that time, she likely would've ripped a hole in the side of the ship."

Shepard turned his attentions towards the geth. "Good thing you came by when you did, Legion."

"We were obliged to help, Shepard-Commander."

"Any idea on what caused her to go into this... whatever it was?"

"Vivid hallucination," Mordin replied. "Temporary state of subconsciousness where patient experiences sights and sounds so real they appear to be in the real world. Unsure what could have caused it." He inhaled audibly. "Possibly as a result of exposure to foreign substance. Bacteria, virus, parasite- all possible to pick up in an atmosphere such as Omega's. Dirty, sanitation not a priority."

"I'll give her a detox injection," Dr. Chakwas said. "Help clear her system of anything that might cause this. What about you, commander?"

"What about me?"

"You neglected to report to the Med Bay for a check-up after you came aboard."

"I'm fine." Shepard waved a hand dismissively.

The doctor merely fixed him with a look and crossed her arms. "I'll be the judge of that, commander. You may be in charge of this ship, but I am in charge of its crew's well-being. How much use will you be to your team if you drop dead in the middle of a mission from infection?"

Shepard attempted to protest again but soon realized it would be pointless. He grudgingly sat down on a bed next to Miranda's and kept a close eye on her as Dr. Chakwas prepped a detox syringe and administered it to the XO.

Mordin turned to the commander. "When finished here, would like for you to come to lab. Interesting findings, might even be critical. Will await your arrival."

Shepard raised an eyebrow as the salarian left. Critical findings? What could that mean? After hearing what EDI had given him, what could be more critical than that?

Shepard barely noticed any of what Dr. Chakwas did at his side, instead keeping a close eye on the unconscious form of Miranda next to him. The woman he had come to care deeply for looked pale- much paler than she usually did. And much weaker too. Miranda was usually the embodiment of strength itself; to see her like this scared the commander- a lot.

He was so fixated on her that he failed to notice when the doctor had finished. "She'll be alright, Shepard," Chakwas said, finally bringing him back into the real world. "She just needs some time to recover. She'll be out for several hours at least. Go do what you need to do; I'll let you know if there's any change."

Shepard hesitated; he didn't want to leave Miranda- not now, not ever. But the thought of what Mordin discovered nagged away at his mind; it might end up helping them. He couldn't pass that up. Slowly, he rose. "The _minute_ there is," he replied firmly. Dr. Chakwas nodded as he left the Med Bay.

His curiosity had increased even more by the time he reached Mordin's lab. "Alright Mordin, what did you find?"

"Ah, Shepard. Glad to see you so soon." The salarian waved him over. "Made possible significant breakthrough on mysterious assassin."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "That quickly? EDI's already given me something on him. What could you possibly tell me?"

"Biological issues. Possible explanation for individual's behaviour. Might also provide clue as to best way to fight him should paths cross again."

He raised his hands. "But will get to point. Dr. Chakwas brought me samples from body of Oriana Lawson. Samples unique, impossible that they could have come from victim. Fragment made of extremely durable type of cartilage, frequently found inside human fingernails. Texture of samples suggested body part closer to resembling claws rather than nails. Also found trace elements of blood in places inconsistent with wounds on Oriana. Could only have come from assassin."

Shepard leaned forward onto the table. "Oriana put up a fight."

"Yes. Appears fighting spirit not limited to Miranda. Small injuries but indicative of resilience nonetheless."

"What did you find?"

"Healing system of assassin much more durable that that of normal humans. Illnesses likely not effective. Injuries likely to heal much quicker even without medi-gel. Likely cause would be genetic tampering, like that of Miranda- only in much greater numbers."

"How great are we talking about?"

"Strength, speed, reflexes, senses all likely at least triple, possible quadruple, those of normal humans. Natural body secretions also enhanced. Levels of epinephrine, hormone that creates adrenaline, one hundred percent higher than normal human. Levels of testosterone one hundred twenty-five percent higher than average male human. Also, highly unusual- body appears to automatically replicate the effects of numerous drugs. Red sand, Minagen X3 without the negative consequences. Dangerous levels under normal circumstances. Healing factor compensates, prevents shutdown of system." He paused for breath. "Biologically remarkable. Anomaly. Would be ideal super-soldier against Reapers."

"Stay on topic, Mordin," Shepard said sternly. "Is there anything in there that could tell us how to stop this guy?"

"Not there," the salarian replied, shaking his head. "Look deeper. Micro-level. Blood cells contain the most important finding of all. Significant abnormalities present within them. Foreign presence."

"What do you mean 'foreign presence'? There's something there that shouldn't be?"

"Yes. Remarkable considering extreme genetic alterations already present. Nonetheless extremely unusual. Pathogen causing higher than normal production of white blood cells. No antibodies against bacteria, no eosinophil granulocytes indicating parasitic infection. One logical conclusion. Viral contamination most likely possibility."

"You mean it's a... virus?" Shepard asked uncertainly.

Mordin nodded vigorously. "Precisely. What's more, highly unique. Virus itself original- previously unknown in my research. However, structure very similar to highly deadly human virus. High levels of regeneration sole factor which keeps it in check. Suggest that if it were present in any human without advanced healing system, results likely to be fatal quickly. Even current subject likely not immune to it. Regenerative capabilities can slow down negative effects but... won't stop it."

"Wait a second." Shepard held up a hand. "You said that the virus found in the assassin's blood resembled a deadly human one? What virus are we talking about?"

The scientist hesitated, something Shepard had never seen out of him before.

He asked again, more forcefully. "Mordin? What virus are you talking about?"

The salarian looked him right in the eye.

"_Ebola_."

* * *

"Sir, the agent you requested has arrived."

The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette. "Good. Send him in."

"Yes, sir."

The leader of Cerberus placed his cigarette in its tray by his seat and picked up a glass of whiskey. As he drained the glass in one go, the man in question appeared before him.

"You wanted to see me?" His voice was as gruff as his general attitude, something that very few people got away with when speaking to the leader of the pro-human group.

"Indeed. I assume you've briefed as to the situation?"

"Been busy," the man said. "Don't have much time to waste catching up on other people's business."

"You know what I mean." And there was the slight edge to the Illusive Man's tone that made even the most hardened people hesitate. This was no exception.

"Heard we lost some people on Omega," the new arrival said. "We lose people more often than not. What's so big about this time?"

"The way in which it was done," the Cerberus leader replied, picking up his cigarette again. "How many times have you heard of Cerberus military forces being decimated by a single individual?"

"Right around the time Shepard found some of our bases."

"A fair enough point, but he had a team with him. And as good as he is, he's just a regular human. The incident on Omega was done by someone far stronger than that. Someone far more dangerous."

"A guy that blows up half the station and kills countless trained operatives?" The man said. "Yeah, I guess you could call him that."

The Illusive Man blew out a puff of smoke. "So you did listen to the debrief after all."

"Yeah, yeah. How do we know this _is _just one guy? Doesn't seem possible."

"I wouldn't tell you if I didn't think it was accurate." The Cerberus leader's artificial eyes never wavered. "You of all people should know this."

"So why are you telling me this now?"

"Because right now your my best operative. You do what's necessary to get the job done. You're someone I can rely on."

"I'm only your top operative because your previous one decided to leave," the man said rather bitterly.

"A disappointing move on her part, but one I can't waste time on. I want you to try and find the man responsible for the attack on Omega."

"If you wanted a bullet in the guy's head, all you had to do was ask."

The Illusive Man shook his head. "No, I don't want you to kill him. From the reports I've been given I doubt it would be as easy as that anyway. I want you to find out everything you can about him, and if possible, bring him here."

"And why would you want to do that?"

"I hope you haven't forgotten the threat that humanity faces, along with the rest of the galaxy."

"Right, right," the man replied. "How could I possibly forget about that?"

"This man, whoever he is, is dangerous and likely unstable. But if we could turn that to our advantage, it might be our best chance at securing human dominance throughout the galaxy. Our last opportunity was squandered at the Collector base. I mean to see this one through."

"So you want him brought here alive?" The man shrugged. "I can do that easily."

The Illusive Man stubbed out his cigarette. "I trust you'll get the job done. No matter what this man's abilities may be, he's not invincible. Make sure you do what's necessary to accomplish your goal."

A cruel smirk spread over the man's face. "He's as good as captured. If I find him, he's going to find out how a _real_ Cerberus operative works. I'll bring him in alive, or my name's not Kai Leng!"

* * *

_"Hellooooo?"_ Wesker called out. "Calling all cars! Calling all cars! We got a couple live ones coming here! Along with one dead one!"

He burst out in a fit of maniacal, disturbing laughter, apparently highly amused at his own sense of humour.

Behind him, Ian and Zara exchanged glances, worry etched over both of their faces. "Do you really think we should be letting him fly?" Zara asked nervously.

"I don't think any sane person would let him do _anything_ outside a mental hospital," Ian murmured back.

"Maybe we should tell him to let one of us take over for the rest of the trip."

"Sure. You go tell the man who blew up half of Omega that you don't like his flying skills. I'm sure he'll hand the controls right over!"

Zara rolled her eyes. "What? Is the big bad Irishman who killed so many vicious mercs on Omega scared of a single fellow human?"

"If you can call _him_ a human..."

The ship suddenly rocked and jerked to the side, sending the two stumbling almost to the ground. From the cockpit, a mock angry voice called out, "Hey! Who put those bloody asteroids right in my path? I don't have patience for incompetence! These lunatics flying along can't do anything right these days!"

"Okay, that's it," Zara said definitively. She led the the way to the cockpit and sat down beside the man piloting the ship. Ian came up beside her, took the third seat and surveyed the situation; the ship they were on were plotting a course in a highly busy two-way lane heading towards a mass relay. Thanks to the piloting of Wesker, they were currently dodging in and out of traffic at a rather high rate of speed; the chunks of asteroid lining the lanes clanging off the armour every time they strayed outside them. It was, to say the least, very unnerving.

"Can't you fly just a little bit steadily?" The Asian woman asked. "We won't be doing anything if we get killed on the way!"

"What's the matter?" Wesker smirked. "You don't like my flying?"

"It's not a matter of liking it, it's going to get us killed!" Zara protested. "You keep going outside the lanes and we're going to get crushed into pieces!"

"You mean," Wesker turned to her in mock shock, "that you want to follow the _rules_? _You?_ A pair of mercs are scared of a little turbulence?"

"This isn't about goddamn turbulence!" Ian broke in, his patience finally exhausted. "This is about our lives! Don't you care for your _own_?"

A strange small smirk appeared on Wesker's face as he turned to face straight ahead, his eyes focused on the fellow ships right outside. He sank further back into his chair and when he spoke again, there was a new tone to it- something about it just seemed... _scarier_.

"You know kids, it's the same bloody thing your whole life." Very subtly, he pressed down on the propulsion accelerator; Ian and Zara found themselves pressed further into their seats as the ship spend up a bit. "Don't run with scissors. Stand at attention. Failure is not an option. Take your pain like a man. Be _nice_ to the aliens. Don't trick your friend into drinking ryncol- ever.

"Oh, right," Wesker's eyes locked dead ahead as he slowly guided the ship to the left. _"Don't fly into incoming traffic..."_

Ian and Zara both turned and stared at him shock. "Uh... Wesker," Ian said slowly, his eyes darting between him and the front. "That's one rule I happen to _agree_ with..."

His protests were in vain as the pilot punched the accelerator; the ship shot forward into the left lane, straight in the path of incoming ships.

The two mercs stared in horror and drew back into their seats as their vessel blazed a trail directly towards the rest of the ships exiting the mass relay. The vessels, most of which were smaller than the one they were in, abruptly cut their engines and swerved violently to avoid colliding with them. Ships turned on their sides, pulled up, pulled down and executed a number of spectacular manoeuvres in an effort to get out of the way.

All the while, one pilot grinned maniacally as he increased the speed. "See, this is exactly what this galaxy needs- to lighten up a little bit. All these rules, all these regulations! Who needs them?"

A salarian passenger swerved a little too hard to the right, its propulsion systems sending it careening out of the lane and into the surrounding asteroid belt. There was a thunderous _CRASH _as the ship bounced off a particularly large one and went spinning back into the lane, straight into the path of an oncoming freighter. The two collided and exploded on impact, a hail of fire lighting up the area behind them. Wesker gestured with his hand. "Hah! See what I mean?"

Whatever either of his companions were about to say was cut off as they approached the mass relay, which began to crackle and sparkle with blue light. A moment later, there was a flash of white and a massive cargo vessel, at least three times the size of their ship appeared out of the relay, gunning straight for them.

"Uh..." Ian and Zara's eyes grew wide as the former raised a shaking hand and pointed in front of them. "Uh, Wesker?"

A low chuckle escaped Wesker's throat as he surveyed the scene in front of him. "Hey," he grinned as he pressed down harder on the accelerator. "Bet you a hundred creds he's gonna blink first."

The two mercs stared at each other in horror before returning their gaze to the front. A hundred creds? A _hundred_ _creds?_ They were risking their lives for a _hundred creds_?

The cargo ship was showing no signs of slowing down; in fact it only seemed to be speeding up as it bore down on them. Even if the pilot could see them, they couldn't slow down or move around them; the lane simply was not big enough for both ships. Zara watched in growing fear as the ship's lights shone right into the cockpit, bathing them in bright light. "Wesker..."

The cargo vessel's engines could now be felt inside the cabin; the entire cockpit bit shook with vibrations from the ship's massive engines. Ian and Zara froze in terror as the lights blocked out anything else in their line of sight...

"_**WESKER**__**!**_"

The roar of the engines blocked out any other sound. The cockpit shook from the vessel's force. The lights penetrated their eyes, filling their minds with nothing but white- the white light you saw at the end of your days...

At the last possible second, Wesker jerked the controls to the right; there was a horrible high-pitched screeching sound as the bottom of the ship scraped against the side of the cargo vessel. There was a loud crackling, followed by a flash of light as the ship shot forward through the mass relay and into the next star system. The abrupt slow down sent Ian and Zara jerking forward in their seats; neither of them released their grips on the arm rests even after they were through.

Meanwhile, Wesker was laughing like a possessed clown. "Now wasn't that a barrel of laughs!" He said when he'd finally calmed down enough to speak. "Did you see the look on the pilot's face? I mean, I'd almost say he didn't enjoy that as much as I did!"

"Can't possibly imagine why," Ian murmured, not having moved a muscle since the jump.

"Oh, come on," Wesker said. "Don't tell me that you didn't enjoy that? How could you with me directing it? I mean, after all," he turned to look at them, grinning, "no one can ignore me...

"_Can they?_"

Zara gasped.

As she looked over the pilot's pale face, deep into the depths of his eyes, a red glint passed over his irises; at the same time, a feeling passed through her body like lightning. It sent her heart racing, her blood pumping and her mind fumbling over itself. She had no idea what brought on this strange array of responses, but she knew exactly what she was feeling.

_Lust._

Pure, unbridled, uncontrollable lust.

It was still in this state of mind that she watched Wesker turn away from her and call up something on the console. "And just to make sure of that..." he was saying, punching some keys.

A few seconds passed in silence. Then a voice filled the cockpit. "_Hello?_"

"Ah," Wesker said. "I believe I have the pleasure of speaking to Miss Emily Wong of Citadel News Net?"

"_That's right. Who is this?"_

"Oh, just one of the few remaining Good Samaritans in this massive galaxy, doing my civic duty in bringing public attention to a major newsworthy situation."

"_Hold on a second. You have a story? How do I know it's good?"_

Wesker grinned. "How would you like an exclusive about the attack on Omega?"

"_Omega? But that was a war zone! Countless people died there!... Wait... are you saying you were there?"_

"Yeah. You have no idea how hard it was to get off that station. I went though a lot- and I mean a _lot-_ of trouble to get away from there! It was chaotic- unimaginable!"

"_Hold on, let me get my omni-tool! I want to record every detail!"_

"Oh, don't worry; I'll be at the Citadel within the hour. You'll have every detail in time for your nightly exclusive!"

"_Seriously? This could be a bigger story than I ever imagined possible! This story had better be good though."_

Wesker chuckled in response.

"My dear Miss Wong, trust me; when you hear what I've got in my head right now- you'll just _die!_"

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback!**

**I have no idea if Kai Leng is in character as I've only heard about him. Someone tell me whether I'm on the right track.**

**'Groundhog Day' reference! Bonus points to whoever can find it!**

**Hmm, that Wesker. He's a curious one, isn't he?**


	21. What Some Men Want

**What Some Men Want**

Shepard stared. "_Ebola?_" He repeated.

Mordin nodded. "Yes. Structure of virus not exactly the same. Nonetheless shares numerous similarities in genetic make-up. Ebola closest match. However also shows signs indicative of other human viruses. Examples- Marburg virus, hantavirus. Very complex." He paused for breath. "Fascinating. Good opportunity for study."

The commander gaped at him. "Good for study? Mordin, we're talking about three of the most lethal viruses known to humanity!"

"Yes!" The salarian declared. "Unprecedented! Three deadly viruses in one body without fatal consequences. Could provide useful data on future cures. Would require bigger samples naturally, but-"

"Mordin!" Shepard interrupted. "I'm not a scientist, but in case you've forgotten, all of these viruses are highly contagious! The whole ship could be at risk for contamination!"

Mordin shook his head vigorously. "No. Have already considered possibility. Amount far too small for ship-wide contamination. Have already isolated sample to avoid possible spread, however small the risk. Also, only real chance of infection is direct contact with infected blood. Must not allow it to be absorbed into system. Consequences unpleasant. Recommend using full body protection if planning to engage subject directly once more. Injuries to him may be more injurious to us." He paused for breath again. "Legion excluded, of course."

"What about direct attacks from him?" Shepard unconsciously brushed his fingers over the healing claw marks on his abdomen under his shirt. "Miranda and I were both scratched through our suits; the wounds aren't deep, but-"

"No. Virus limited to blood sample. No indication of presence within keratin structures making up nails. Also, virus may also be present in other bodily fluids- saliva, semen. Currently unknown. Would need more samples to be sure. But no risk from mere scratch wounds."

Shepard breathed a silent sigh of relief- more so for Miranda than himself. "What would happen if someone else did become infected?"

"Depends on species. Most immune systems not strong enough to fight off such an infection. Turians, salarians, asari, batarians, humans without advanced regeneration system- all likely to die within twenty-four hours of infection. Krogan may take longer but result would be the same. Vorcha wild card. Likely immune to virus like all disease but cannot be sure right now. Effect would be devastating on quarian subject. Likely to kill within minutes. Must notify Tali'Zorah of importance of avoiding suit ruptures."

"And how would we know whether someone's been infected?"

"Incubation period likely varies from species to species. Variety of immune systems accounts for many different results. However, symptoms likely to be the same and resemble similar viruses. Influenza symptoms likely in the beginning- chills, fever, headaches, nausea followed by abdominal pain and vomiting. Increases over time. Subject eventually begins expelling blood from all orifices. Likely to begin in form of coughing it up from lungs. Subject eventually succumbs to severe internal bleeding and hemorrhaging. Dies." He shook his head. "Messy. Death should not come so painfully for most people."

"Could you make a cure?" Shepard asked. "You know, in the event someone does get exposed to it?"

"Hmm," Mordin scratched his chin. "Complicated. Traditional antivirals useless against such a pathogen. Will continue to work with samples. Not hopeful for quick results, but... will do what I can."

"Do that, Mordin," Shepard ordered. "We have enough to worry about right now. Let's not add this to it."

"Of course, Shepard." Mordin bowed his head over his computer. "Will help in any way possible."

If Shepard's mind was racing when he had first entered the lab, it now began to spin as he got back in the elevator. _A killer virus?_ Great, as if they didn't have enough problems already. Not only was Wesker a genetically modified male twin of the woman Shepard loved whose abilities far outweighed any member of his team, the mere act of wounding him could put them all at risk for a painful death. It was almost a cruel practical joke- one that Wesker would probably find highly amusing.

What was the damn man's purpose? Had Miranda's father created him, hoping for a male member of his dynasty? What kind of dynasty involved a son who blew up galactic stations and brutally slaughtered innocent people- all with a smile on his face? Even with his own flesh and blood...

_Why_ had Wesker taken the time to hunt down Oriana? Was it in a moment of insane violence? Was it even his idea? Or had he taken instructions from someone else? What was to say the Illusive Man hadn't indeed decided to strike out at those closest to Miranda because of her decision to quit Cerberus? Or that her father wasn't attempting to re-establish control over his creations? Maybe it was any number of these possibilities rolled into one; one seemed as plausible as all the others.

He hit the button for the Crew Deck, intending on checking on Miranda in the Med Bay. However, when he reached the floor in question, he saw Thane sitting by himself at the main table, a cup in front of him. The drell's eyes stared unblinkingly in front of him at first; as the commander approached, he turned his head ever so slightly towards him. "Shepard," he said, giving a slight nod.

"Not disturbing one of your important memories, am I?" Shepard asked.

"Not at all. I was merely... reflecting."

"On anything particular?"

"A variety of subjects. Past actions. Present worries. Future possibilities."

"And Kolyat?"

"Yes," Thane bowed his head. "It is one of the most foremost thoughts in my mind. I've devoted a good portion of the last couple of weeks trying to erase the mistakes I made for... for too many years. I'm not sure I can rectify them fully before I die- or before our final battle begins. But I'm willing to try."

The commander shook his head. "Wish I had your optimism. Or at least your sense of priorities. The whole galaxy is on the verge of extinction; we should be trying to bring the galaxy together. Instead I fail to save one single person and end up hurting another one."

"The power of family and of the love and worry for another," Thane replied. "They are at times harder to manage than hate."

Shepard looked at him surprised. He and Miranda had done their best to keep their relationship a secret; not an easy task considering they had a chatty yeoman, an artificial intelligence and countless monitoring devices aboard. The drell's words caught him off guard and he found himself at a momentary loss for words.

Thane seemed to pick up on this as well. "Perhaps we should continue this discussion in private," he suggested, rising.

Shepard nodded gratefully and followed the assassin into his quarters in the Life Support room. Thane took his usual seat, facing out into the drive core. Shepard paused by the window, silent for a few moments. "I wasn't aware that anyone else knew about that," he said finally.

"Forgive me. When you spend almost your entire life observing people as closely as I have, you become accustomed to learning the most minute details about them," Thane explained. "I didn't mean to intrude into your personal affairs."

Shepard said nothing for a moment, wondering privately about who else would have been keen enough to notice the signs and draw the same conclusion that Thane had. If the cast of characters they had on board was anything to go by, that might be a longer list than he might have imagined. "As long as you don't spread it around."

"Of course not."

"Maybe you could use those skills of observation to give me a hand." The commander turned and looked out over the drive core. "'Cause in this case I feel like I need one."

"Do you refer to the true mental state of Miss Lawson, or the individual responsible for causing it?" The drell asked.

"Don't think I can understand one without knowing the other," Shepard admitted. Miranda was hurting; there was no question about that. And there was no way in hell she would let anyone else see how much she really was- not even him. "I've met of a lot of complex people in my life, Thane, but I've never met one as complicated as this. Everything about him is completely conflicting; it's like one giant information black hole."

"Indeed. I may not have met the man himself, but I get the sense there is far more to him than meets the eye." Thane took his cup in hands, but did not drink from it. "I can't help but wonder whether we bear some of the responsibility."

Shepard turned to him, surprised. "Just how do you figure that?"

"An attack such as the one on Omega could not have occurred completely on the spur of the moment," Thane explained, setting his cup back down. "Even the most skilled individual would have needed some assistance, no matter how remote or insignificant. On that station, I would not have been surprised if our target recruited help, most likely in the form of mercs who knew Omega better than most. Your previous visits to Omega, our strikes at their counterparts in other parts of the galaxy would not have gone unnoticed. Then they are presented with someone who is about to strike at the very team responsible for their losses. Either they acted out of fear and self-preservation or they viewed it as an opportunity for revenge. In any event, they would have aided this individual with his plans."

Shepard shook his head and went back to staring out the window. "Targeting my squad and their families isn't going to get them anywhere except dead. I knew the merc gangs weren't just going to forgive and forget but this is different. Personal. If they did do that, they've crossed a very serious line."

"_You_ crossed a serious line, Shepard," Thane interjected. "You attacked them, you brutalized them, you battered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation, they turned to a man they didn't really understand."

Shepard took a step back. "This guy's not a Reaper, Thane, he's a murderer; murderers aren't difficult to understand," he said coolly as he turned and began to walk towards the door. "All we need to do is figure out what he gained from this and we'll be able to track him down."

"With all due respect, Shepard," the drell called after him, "perhaps this is man that _you_ don't really understand either."

Shepard stopped and turned around. "And you do?" The words came out a little more aggressively than he intended, but he didn't care; he wanted to know what made the assassin speak with such confidence.

Thane paused a moment, lips pursed as though trying to make a decision. Apparently, the factors arguing for explaining what he meant won out as he stood up. "A few years ago," he started walking slowly towards the commander, "I accepted on contract on the poor turian colony of Salia. My target was a rogue soldier-turned-terrorist; the local government was trying to entice the local inhabitants to work with them to catch him by offering them large amounts of scarce, precious resources. But the terrorist had been killing the villagers and stealing the resources for himself."

Thane stopped in front of Shepard, face-to-face. "I decided that in addition to fulfilling my contract, I would retrieve these resources and return them to the people they'd been stolen from. I pursued him, thinking that he would trade them for credits or weapons and leave me a trail to follow. But in six weeks, I never met anyone who had done business with him.

"Then one day, I saw a young child playing with a box of platinum- as large as a standard assault rifle. The terrorist had been throwing them away as he went along."

Shepard narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Well then, why steal them in the first place?"

"Because it was the action itself that thrilled him rather than what he got in the end," Thane replied, staring the commander dead in the eyes. "Because... _some_ men aren't looking for anything logical, like credits, power or opportunity. They can't be bribed, bullied, threatened, intimidated, reasoned or negotiated with.

He leaned forward, now just inches away from the commander's face. "Some men _just want to sit back and watch the galaxy go up in flames..._"

The room was silent for a moment, the drell's words hanging in the air.

Then both men's attention was drawn to the sound of the door opening. Kelly rushed in, looking very pale and scared, her breaths coming quickly as though she'd just run down from the CIC. "Shepard, thank God I've found you!"

"What's wrong, Kelly?" Shepard's heart pounded in his chest. Had something happened to Miranda?

"You just got an important message from Councillor Anderson." Kelly's eyes were wide and serious. "There's been an attack at the Citadel."

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback!**

**Just in case anyone else is wondering, there WILL be interactions between Wesker and the rest of Shepard's team. Very special and exciting ones. Of course, you'll just have to wait for them. :)**

**'The Dark Knight' reference in this chapter! Not trying to steal anything; just too good leave out! Anyone more excited for the 'The Dark Knight Rises' after seeing the new trailer?**

**Where was I? Oh yes, please review and give me your thoughts on the story!**


	22. A Failure to Communicate

**A Failure to Communicate**

Wesker gave a delighted, maniacal laugh as he jumped out of the shuttle carrying the trio to docking area linking the 700 Block and the surrounding commercial area. Looking around at the combined drab atmosphere and neon lights, a large grin spread across his face.

"Now _this_ is what I'm talking about!" He shouted to his two companions, who were just joining him on solid ground. "The centre of the civilized universe! They've got something for everyone here! Bright lights! Dull wall paint! People in power who try to act smart! But not a hint of bloodshed or act of violence worthy of a laugh!" He paused for a moment, then frowned. "How unbelievably _dull_."

Ian and Zara exchanged glances. They had come to the agreement that pointing out anything contrary to what their companion said would largely be pointless- and dangerous. The man's mind was clearly so out of whack that any argument against him was a waste of time.

"I think it's about time someone livened this place up a bit," the man was saying. "Put a little _spark_ in the boring, repetitive lives of the masses!"

"And, uh," Zara started cautiously, "how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"See, there's the problem right there. The technical details of any great plan bring down the elation of thinking of it in the first place." Wesker scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Dowsing the galaxy in hydrogen fuel's the easy part. Trying to figure out the best way to drop a lit match onto it- _that's_ the killer."

"In more ways than one," Ian murmured.

"I hope you at least didn't forget about our little surprise package." Wesker stared at them. "_Did _you?"

"Of course not," Ian said with renewed confidence. "It's on its way to its destination now."

"Providing it passes through all the new security clearances here," Zara added doubtfully. "Considering it's covered in the symbol of an extremist pro-human terrorist group, I'm not too sure about that."

Wesker clicked his tongue. "Zara, you of all people should know..." His eyes met up with hers, and Zara had to suppress a gasp as another electric feeling ran through her, "there's _nothing _that can't be done- especially when it comes to _me_..."

Ian raised an eyebrow at the man's choice of words but decided it was safer not to object to that statement.

"But hey, who am I to brag?" Wesker grinned. "The night is young, my fellow maniacs! And the fun's just getting started! You guys know what time it is?" He looked back and forth between them. "Well? You know what time it is?"

The two mercs exchanged looks. "Um... no?" Zara said uncertainly.

Wesker cocked his head. "Hel-_lo_? It's _Wesker_ time! W-E-S-K-E- are you with me?"

"...Yeah."

"There's some good henchmen!" His omni-tool beeped and as he checked it, he gave a mock gasp of shock. "Look at that! I keep blabbering like this and I'm going to miss my all-exclusive! And if that happens, people might actually think I'm _crazy_! Can you imagine the _horror_?"

"Can't possibly imagine," Ian murmured.

_**HOOOOONK!**_

A loud blare startled all of them out their conversation. Wesker grit his teeth and turned furiously towards the sound right behind him. A turian driving a shuttle car was trying to drive out of the docking area and the only spot out was blocked by the trio. He furiously slammed on the horn over and over, signalling with his hand. "Hey! Get the hell out of the way, humans!"

Ian immediately moved his hand towards the pistol at his side, while Zara moved to stop him from drawing unnecessary attention to themselves; both were surprised when their companion turned back to them and raised his hand, signalling to them not to attack. "You know what I think?" Wesker said, grinning. "I think he's trying to communicate!"

The two mercs blinked in confusion. "Uh, what?" Zara asked.

"Look at that poor turian. His translator's probably glitched and he's trying to tell us something. Let's try to communicate the way he wants to, shall we?"

As the turian continued to pound on the horn, Wesker activated his omni-tool and pointed it towards the shuttle. A large grin on his face, he reached out with his free hand and pressed onto it.

_**BAAA-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO- GAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!**_

The entire dock suddenly melted into an inescapable black hole of noise. It was if every horn, blast and explosion on the entire Citadel had been rolled and melted into one giant din and placed inside the omni-tool, confined until the press of the button. Now it exploded with all the power of atomic bomb on the eardrums of all those within earshot. As Ian and Zara threw themselves to the ground covering their ears, all the glass on the shuttle in front of them instantly shattered, the pieces flying inwards, smoke rising from the wreckage.

Five seconds after the audible assault began, the room fell silent. Wesker lifted his omni-tool to his mouth and blew on it, as though blowing the smoke away from a recently fired gun, before deactivating it. A small smirk crossed his face as he turned around and started walking away without saying a word.

Behind him, Ian and Zara picked themselves up slowly off the floor, cautiously taking their hands away from their ears. "Do you really think he had to do that?" She asked.

"What?"

"I said 'do you really think he had to do that'?"

"What?"

Zara sighed. "Never mind. Let's just do our job and get the hell out of here."

"Strange; you didn't say that on Omega- the most fucked up place in the galaxy," Ian replied, his hearing starting to come back. "But now you're scared 'cause you're on the Citadel?"

"It's not the environment that scares me," she said solemnly. "It's the decreasing stability of our company."

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about little ol' me now, would ya?" Wesker called back from what sounded like miles ahead.

The two mercs looked in each other, shocked. "How did he hear that?" Ian murmured under his breath.

"Since you're so interested, my fine Irish friend," the man in question called back, "I'll tell you what; why don't you lend me your ear and I'll tell you _all_ that you want to know. Of course," he went on, "that wouldn't be terribly easy. I mean, the last man who did that was literally _dying_ trying to put it back on!"

The distance did nothing to ease the icy chill that went up the spines of the two mercs at these words, nor for the sadistic chuckle that followed it. Zara swallowed hard. "It's like he has perfect hearing," she whispered.

Ian took a deep breath. "On second thought, I take back what I said. Let's just get this done and get out of here." They quickly hurried off in the direction of their companion.

Unseen, behind them, there was movement inside the shuttle car. Glass poking out of every inch of his body, his veins and arteries sliced to pieces and pouring blood everywhere, the turian tumbled forward out of the shattered windshield and landed on the floor, motionless.

Within seconds, the steel floor was stained a new shade of blue.

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback!**

**I know this is a relatively short chapter, but I'm setting the stage for bigger things! Wesker is damn fun to write, especially his monologues and dialogues, but also his action scenes (patience... we'll get there :))**

**Tribute to a scene from 'The Mask' in here! **

**Question: which character from the ME universe would you like to see Wesker have a lengthy conversation with and why?**


	23. What's in a Past?

**What's In A Past?**

"We've managed to track the communications link you asked for, sir. We've linked it up to your quantum unit; you can use it any time."

"Good."

"Also, we've managed to reconstruct the data from the destroyed facility on Rakhana."

"Show me."

The Illusive Man retrieved the data-pad, his bright soulless eyes passing over it. Then without a word, he handed it back to the subordinate. "Patch me through to the link. And make sure the security blocks are on before you do so."

"Yes, sir."

The leader of Cerberus leaned back and lit a cigarette, watching as the unit before him lit up, shimmered with an unclear image and then brightened, revealing a figure on the other end who immediately began speaking.

"_Helll-oooo?_ Anybody there?"

The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette, saying nothing but watching the scene before him.

"Ah, the really shy type, are you? Well, that's okay! I don't get nearly enough calls as it is. What does it matter if there is nothing but pure fear and terror on the other side of that link? But if we're going to play this little game of charades, I'm at least going to need to know the name of the person who made the mistake of a lifetime!"

The Illusive Man took a sip of whiskey from the glass next to him.

"Look," the figure said, sounding to sound a bit frustrated, "I _know_ you're still on the line. I can hear you gulping like a fish on the beach! And you're beginning to really annoy me with your silence! You think you're safe on the other end of that line?" He tapped what appeared to be claws on the desk in front of him. "Give me five minutes in the same room with you, and I'll have you crying like a quarian with a stomach ache! Hell," his voice suddenly turned sadistically low, "_you might just enjoy it_..."

"Enough." The Illusive Man switched off the privacy block, removing the obstruction of the figure's view of him. He turned to his subordinate. "Leave us."

"Yes, sir." The man turned and walked out of the room.

Now alone except for the figure on the other link, the Cerberus leader regarded his quarry with unblinking eyes. "Before you ask me my name, know that it is irrelevant. You may address me as the Illusive Man. And you are?"

His quarry smirked. "Saren. Benezia." He gave a maniacal chuckle. "Commander Shepard!"

The Illusive Man showed no emotion to these answers. "We can play these games as long as you want."

"Great! I _love_ games!"

"Not my kind, you wouldn't. I take it I'm speaking to the individual known as Wesker?"

His quarry chuckled again. "Sure. Why not? And if I was to hazard a guess, I'd say that you would be the all-mighty leader of the organization known as... uh... what was that again? Something to do with Greece? Medusa, maybe?"

"You're on unstable ground here, Mr. Wesker," the Illusive Man put his cigarette to the side. "I've taken the time to contact you to offer a deal. I am aware of your activities towards Cerberus on Omega and Rakhana."

"Did you really?"

"Yes. I read the details from the report the Rakhana team put together. I am fully aware of your... _condition_. The last thing you have is time." He picked up his glass of whiskey. "But I'm willing to look past our petty differences- for the bigger picture."

Wesker raised an eyebrow. "And in return for this generous offer, I'd be giving you...?" He gestured expectantly with his hand. "_What_ exactly?"

"In the first place, I'll discard the fact that you've destroyed Cerberus property and killed Cerberus people; that alone would usually be sufficient. But with you, there's also something more. I wish to get to know you; to find out why you are what you are. To discover why you took the actions you did."

Wesker scoffed. "Don't play the psychiatrist angle with me, Mr. Illusive! It doesn't fit you. Besides, you're gonna need a lot more than just some fancy words and gleaming eyes to get to the bottom of what's wrong with _me_."

"Oh, believe me- I have a lot more than that at my disposal," the Illusive Man said smirking. "_Much _more. So, do we have a deal?"

"Depends. I don't take offers lightly. Maybe you're just not in the right bargaining position today!"

"If anyone is not in a position to make deals, it would be you," the Cerberus leader declared. "If you wanted a better one, maybe you shouldn't have slaughtered the Cerberus personnel stationed on Omega. What made you decide to do that?"

Wesker shrugged. "Asari gotta dance, krogan gotta fight."

"All to kill one single civilian."

"Well, I always say if you're gonna do something, you may as well do it in style." Wesker laughed. "Besides, it was worth seeing the look in that last guard's eyes! Hey..." Realization came into his face. "You know what? I think I've still got one of them here in my jacket pocket! Care to see?" He chuckled.

"You're trying my patience," the Illusive Man said. "If you want to avoid another encounter with Cerberus security forces, I suggest you start cooperating."

"Well, keep on sending them, Timmy. I'm trying to break my kill record."

"Since you feel so confident in your position," the Illusive Man picked up his cigarette again, "perhaps you wouldn't mind doing something for me?"

Wesker chuckled. "And that would be?"

"Tell me who you really are. How you came to be what you are. What happened to give you such strong abilities. How you came to be sitting there, talking to me calmly despite your... _circumstances._"

"Is _that_ it?" Wesker sounded legitimately surprised. "All the questions you could ask and you choose that one?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"Only that there's more than one answer to every question, Timmy. But if you want me to answer truthfully, well... I guess you could say I once had a _very _bad day."

"Really?" The Illusive Man leaned back in his chair. "Go on."

"Imagine it." Wesker leaned forward, accentuating every point with his hand. "It was a dark, cold Friday night. Things were getting absolutely horrible. I was three days away from being evicted from my apartment. My application to law enforcement had been rejected. The old laboratory job I had held was laying off most of its workers, and I was holed up in my living room, holding my fiancee by the shoulders, praying to _God _that she would at least look at me."

"That must have been upsetting for you."

Wesker shrugged. "Most likely it was. Didn't really matter though. At that point, the main thing on my mind was that if I didn't help the mob to gain access to my old workplace, they were gonna take off my head and use it as a bowling ball. So here's the dilemma... could I leave her behind? Was it really worth the risk? That's when I felt it most, you know. Fear. Not of being killed, of course. I mean, what's death but life's way of playing the ultimate joke on you?"

"Intriguing," the Illusive Man replied. "You might garner some understanding if that were the case. Something like that is quite common."

"Do I _look_ common?" Wesker questioned, holding up his pointed fingernails. "No- I was scared of the uncertainty. Of not knowing what would happen. Of the possibility that I could throw everything away and leave her at the mercy of the galaxy and its cruel trickery. All the while, I could nothing but try to hold on to her with nothing but blood-covered hands. So- I made a decision, right there, as she stood turning away from me."

The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette. "And that was?"

"You _sure_ you want to know?"

"I am perfectly aware that you are not someone who shares things willingly. Neither am I. But in this case, I have to insist."

"_Must_ you?"

"Yes, I do. And it's especially generous considering the ground we stand on right now. I read the report from Omega. Most of the Cerberus forces were found either dismembered or incinerated. The fact that we're talking at all should be considered a courtesy."

"Interesting argument. Listen Tim-"

"_Illusive Man,_" the Cerberus leader responded with the barest hint of irritation.

"Okay, I-llu-sive Man," Wesker responded sarcastically, "I'll keep going. I just hope your memory's as sharp as it once was.

"It's the following Saturday, and I'm standing in the icy wind and rain, looking up at the research lab, feeling numb and bodiless all over. Carla had left; whether permanently or temporarily, I didn't know. I could see her face in a puddle of water; her smile growing wider and wider as I performed horrible card trick after horrible card trick. How even after knowing how small-scale a life we would have on our combined salaries, she still wanted to spend the rest of her life with me. To grow old with me. To have my children.

"And just when it seemed she might be real enough to be standing there, _they_ arrived." He chuckled. "The galaxy's way of dealing me another wild card. The leader of that gang gave me a slap on the back. 'It could be worse', he said. I asked him how that could be a possibility. He seized me by the collar and yanked me towards his face. His breath stank of whiskey as he told me in no uncertain terms that he could have rearranged my mouth with a drill and an omni-blade." He gave a nod of appreciation. "Very innovative guy.

"He hands me an unlocked crate. I took it in my hands and remember thinking it was heavy. What could it possibly be? Was it a bomb? A gun? I'd never handled any kind of weapon before. Were they really that heavy?"

"And what was in that crate?"

"Patience, my chain-smoking friend, patience."

"Coming from someone like you, I find that to be rather hypocritical. It's strange how you can be so calm right now given your situation."

"Well, I have my ups and my downs, but if there's one I strive for each day, it's to find a reason to smile."

"Undoubtedly," the Cerberus leader deadpanned. "Now, to get back to your story..."

"Sure, why not? Uh, where was I again?"

"The crate."

"Ah, yes, the crate. So I open it up, expecting it to blow up in my face, and all that's in there is this old Alliance helmet. I thought they were screwing with me, but no! 'An assurance policy', they said. To keep me safe. When I put it on, the smell of whiskey and old sweat assaulted me in one giant swoop. My vision was practically non-existent, and here I was, planning to help them break into the one place in this galaxy that had given me a job. Have you ever tried to run around inhaling fumes with a giant bucket on your head?" He held up a finger. "Don't answer that.

"It's next to impossible! I was stumbling around, barely able to see anything. That's when I heard her voice- Carla's. She must have decided to come back and followed me to the building. She wanted to stop me from making a terrible mistake. She asked me what I was doing. I told her to get away, that it wasn't safe. But she didn't. The next thing I know, there's a hail of gunfire and shouting. I'm looking around desperately before I finally see Carla. She rushes over to me, her face drenched in tears.

"Then, just before we reach each other, a hole explodes in her chest. Her blood spatters all over me. I'm paralysed, can't do anything despite what I'm seeing before me. She looks at me with surprised, horrified eyes; for one second, we gaze at each other. Then, without a word, she tumbles over the side of the catwalk and into darkness and oblivion. I turn around and tried to gain a sense of what was going on." He leaned forward. "And that's when I saw her."

"Who?"

"_Miranda Lawson_."

The Illusive Man paused in the middle of lifting his cigarette up to his mouth. He raised his eyebrows. "_Really_?"

"Yes, really! I didn't know who she was at the time, but I remember what she looked like. I'll never forget that cold, ruthless face. That killer look in her eye. The smoking pistol she held in her hand as she prepared to gun me down without a second thought. I'm sure she'd have an excuse for her actions. Maybe she was just following orders. Maybe she was a fresh new agent and her 'red test' was to kill unarmed civilians, I don't know. All that mattered was that she was about to turn her pistol on me as well. I tried to run and flee but, well, with this grimy old helmet on my head I couldn't see where I was going and I lost my balance.

"It's like life, when you think about it; one minute your world's a living nightmare, and the next your fiancee is dead and you're grasping at thin air, trying desperately to avoid falling into a vat of bio-hazardous material. I'm sure she'd say she didn't mean to, but we all know she did. I fell. In that split second before I landed, I remember thinking to myself I would actually get to see Carla again. Hell, I might just get away with all this!"

"I take it that neither of those were the case," the Illusive Man said.

Wesker stared him in the eye. "Do I _look_ like I got away with it? "

The Cerberus leader didn't respond.

"No. I was burning! My skin, my eyes, every single inch of my body felt like it was on fire! It was almost worse than seeing Carla fall over the side. I don't know how long I was under, but when I emerged from the vat I was... different. And it was all _her_ fault..."

"Miranda's?"

"Who else?"

"Yours."

"Say _what_ now?"

"Let me tell you what I believe," the Illusive Man stubbed out his cigarette and leaned forward. "I believe you created that entire story as we were sitting here, a fabrication proving the adaptability of your mind, but nothing more. I've read reports from both Rakhana and Omega detailing at least half a dozen different backgrounds you claim to be true. I have records that contradict any mission on which you claim to have seen Miranda Lawson. I believe you created it for one of three reasons; either you don't want to admit that your present condition is your own doing, you honestly don't remember how it came about, or you take pleasure in seeing others struggle to understand you."

A smirk spread over Wesker's face. He chuckled and raised his hands. "What can I say? I like variety; it helps keep things interesting. You said you wanted to know about my past; you never said anything about it being an accurate account. You know, a very wise man once said that if you have to have background, you'd do best to make it a multiple choice one."

"That wasn't a man, that was a character in a twentieth century comic book."

"Well, you take inspiration where you can get it."

"And never acknowledge reality. Where you've come from. How you got here."

"Oh, I know exactly how I got here! An unneeded Eclipse ship brought me from Omega. You read the report about it, didn't you?"

"As I said before."

"Well, great! I was afraid I'd have to burn a big symbol into the surface of Illium to get your attention. Glad to know the agent you're sending after me is your best."

The Illusive Man actually blinked. "Excuse me?"

Wesker chuckled. "Timmy, my shiny-eyed friend, if you were really so keen on killing me, you'd have made sure all of your comm systems were uncrackable. It wouldn't be a very good idea to send platoons of security forces in when you know they're about to get slaughtered. Remarkable ability, hacking is; next thing you'll tell is that it wasn't Cerberus that was responsible for killing a bunch of Alliance marines a few years ago! Nice work, by the way."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course not. So, Timmy," Wesker leaned in close and started speaking in a low but very dangerous tone, "_if you want anything to be left of your organization once I'm done with the galaxy, you'd better keep your nose in your own affairs- and out of mine..._" He straightened up quickly. "Oh, by the way!" He said, speaking normally as if nothing had happened. "Be sure to keep an eye on the news! I'm sure they'll be a sudden report of fireworks somewhere fairly soon, and you won't want to miss that. Kick back, relax, grab a cup full of popcorn. We're going to throw the biggest party this galaxy has ever seen! And to think," he leaned in again, "the main present is about to be delivered-_ courtesy of Cerberus..._"

The link was cut.

The Illusive Man sat impassively for a moment. Anyone who looked at him would have seen nothing more than a man sitting motionlessly in his chair. His mind, however, was showing a much different side than people were used to.

_Arrogant bastard._

Taking a deep breath, he called out, "Sykes. Did you get the trace?"

"Yes, sir. The transmission's coming from the Citadel. There's no way to pinpoint exactly where, but-"

The Illusive Man cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Contact Operative Leng. Tell him to head to the Citadel immediately. His orders stand: capture the subject if possible. If not, then terminate him- with extreme prejudice."

"Sir, there's a good chance that Shepard and his crew will be alerted to the subject's presence on the station. They'll most likely looking to take him out. There's a chance that they and Operative Leng will cross paths; there could be mass casualties if that happens."

The Illusive Man lit another cigarette. "I don't care what the cost is," he said, taking a drag. "Either we capture him alive or make sure he never leaves the station."

"Even if that means compromising Cerberus or killing civilians?"

The Cerberus leader didn't blink. "Even if that means destroying the Citadel itself."

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback! **


	24. Politicians At Their Finest

**Politicians At Their Finest **

"_This is Emily Wong, reporting to you live for Citadel News Net from just outside Saronis Applications. For those who are currently unaware, there has been a lot of chatter on the extranet in the last couple of hours concerning an apparent attack on Omega, the major space station in the Omega Cluster known infamously throughout the galaxy as a place of lawlessness and a hub for intergalactic criminal activity. While violence is certainly not a rare occurrence on Omega, rumours have been circling that this strike may in fact have threatened the stability of the station as a whole. I can confirm right now that these rumours are indeed true, and in just a few minutes will be speaking with someone who was actually present on the station at the time of the attack. With this news, one can only wonder- is this attack an isolated incident? Why was Omega targeted? And how will this affect the Citadel and its diverse population? I intend to find this out and more."_

"_**Really?**" _A new voice suddenly appeared in the vid._ "So sorry, dear Citadelites,but I'm afraid Miss Wong will soon be leaving the airwaves!"_

There was a crackle of electricity. Lights in the background flashed on and off. There were several startled shouts in the background. People began running in all directions, creating a flurry of activity. Emily Wong looked around her, her expression one of both confusion and fear. _"Hey!"_ She shouted. _"What- what's going on here? We're live!"_

"_No- **I'm** live,_" the voice declared. "_You're **dead**."_

There was a series of crackles followed by a bright red flash. High-pitched screams could be heard as the vid crackled and wavered into chaos.

Then the feed promptly went dead.

Shepard watched with an unreadable expression on his face, his eyes focused unblinkingly on the screen. Garrus stood to his left, mandibles twitching, while Jacob stood at attention to his right. With the unavailability of Miranda at the moment, they were the two people on board he felt most comfortable bringing to this meeting.

The screen promptly changed, revealing the profiles of the four members of the Citadel Council. The three non-human members were in their usual positions while Anderson stood next to the turian councillor. He promptly spoke up. "Well, Shepard?"

Shepard nodded his head. "That's him. It's the same person we encountered on Omega."

"Are you absolutely sure about that, commander?" The asari councillor asked. "The attack that happened on Omega only took place a few hours ago. This is a remarkably short amount of time to travel between stations."

"I'm sure," the commander reaffirmed. "His identity's not an issue. It's the same guy."

"If that is indeed the case, then how he got here so quickly is rather troubling," the salarian councillor declared. "But that is not overly important right now. What is important is stopping him. How far away from the Citadel are you?"

"We'll be hitting the mass relay within the next two hours. We should reach the station about half an hour after that. My team will be fully prepared to combat the threat."

"C-Sec is already investigating the incident," the turian councillor broke in. "Captain Bailey and his most elite agents are on the job. The best bet would be to wait and allow them to do what's necessary."

"With all due respect, councillor," Shepard said with barely contained irritation, "I think this situation is over C-Sec's head. I respect Captain Bailey and have no doubt about his commitment and skills, but they have no idea what they're dealing with here."

"I can assure you, Shepard, that C-Sec has plenty of experience in dealing with these types of issues," the asari declared. "The diverse number of former military operatives in its ranks have made them able to handle any issue."

_Except a Reaper-led geth attack_, Shepard thought bitterly. "If I may say so quite bluntly, councillor, you weren't on Omega. You didn't see what this man is capable of. I did. If you send C-Sec after him, all you're going to get back is a lot of dead bodies."

"The intelligence we have regarding the attack here is limited, Shepard," the salarian responded. "And we have no indication that the perpetrator is not a mere random vigilante."

Shepard clenched his teeth and willed himself to not say something that could permanently damage all friendly relations between humanity and the other Council races. Had he been standing in the same room as them, he wasn't so sure that it would not happen.

Anderson seemed to recognize the warning signals and quickly interjected. "We can talk about this after we've resolved the crisis. For now, we need to focus on how to stop him. C-Sec can at least secure the perimeter until the _Normandy _arrives. Shepard, do you have any recommendations?"

"Don't try hunting this guy down," the commander said, breathing a silent but grateful sigh of relief for his former captain's timely intervention. "He could be anywhere on the Citadel, with any number of ways to turn a situation to his advantage. And he's dangerous- very dangerous. I fought with him personally, so trust me on this. We'll arrive as soon as possible and further coordinate our strategy from there."

"Understood." Surprisingly, it was the asari who said this. "We'll await your arrival before taking any concrete steps."

"You should know, however, that if we believe there is a imminent threat, we will act to stop it," the salarian added. "Regardless of your orders."

"I sincerely hope you know what you're doing, Shepard," the turian said in his usual terse tone. "The Citadel is much too important a galactic station to be brought to a halt by a single person. Your Spectre status may grant you free reign around the rest of the galaxy, but I advise you to remember exactly who you are dealing with. Respect and trust works both ways."

Whether Anderson could see Shepard's fists clench at those words or not, he cut in just before the commander could retort. "Good luck, Shepard. We'll be waiting for you."

As the transmission ended, a silence fell over the room. "You ever get the feeling that a decision you made in the past was the wrong one?" Shepard asked finally to no one in particular.

"_You_ make a bad decision, Shepard?" Jacob asked only half serious. "Sure you haven't taken too many shots to the head?"

"If I had, Jacob, I'd forget all about diplomacy and let my gun do the talking."

"You're talking about the Council, aren't you?" Garrus asked.

The commander nodded. "We go out of our way to save their asses and try to convince them that the entire galaxy depends on our species cooperating and what do we get? Stone wall after stone wall. Sometimes I wonder whether it wouldn't have been easier to just stand back and let Sovereign rip them a new one."

"If you're considering doing that again once the rest of the Reapers show up, be sure to tell them to save the turian for me."

"You'd kill your own representative on the Council?" Jacob asked in shock.

"Between him, Saren, Sidonis and all the mercs we've encountered, I think my people have exceeded their quota of bad examples in the galaxy." Garrus shrugged. "If you're going to clean house, may as well start somewhere high up."

"You know," Shepard said, "if Anderson wasn't a member now, I'd be very tempted to sit back and watch the Reapers blow a hole in their high and mighty asses."

"And what a sight that would be," Jacob chuckled. "I can see it now- 'SHEPARD! The Reapers are attacking the Citadel! We need your help'!"

"'Ah yes, _Reapers_'". Garrus made air quotes. "'A group of sentient machines I tried repeatedly to warn you about. Didn't you dismiss that claim'?"

Despite the severity of the situation, Shepard couldn't help but smirk. "Alright, enough with the fantasies," he said, turning serious again. "We need a strategy that will work. Omega caught us off guard, and I have _no _plans to repeat it."

"So what have we learned so far that can give us an edge this time?" Garrus asked, easily slipping back into his C-Sec professionalism.

"Unfortunately not much," Shepard began slowly. Though he had explained to them that 'Jackson Creed' was now going by the name 'Wesker', he still had not let anyone else know the information EDI had given him regarding the results of Wesker's DNA tests; he didn't intend to until he was absolutely sure that it was accurate. Deep down, he felt a twinge of guilt for keeping the rest of his team out of the loop, especially the ones he had become the closest to. Dismissing that train of thought, he went on, "He's clearly a much bigger threat than the Council wants to believe. Hell, as an enemy, he's probably a bigger threat to this entire team than the Collectors were."

"Gee, that's encouraging," Jacob murmured sarcastically.

"It gets better. Our guy has super-enhanced abilities; strength, speed, biotics, technical prowess, regenerative healing- it all outweighs any member of this team."

"Plus he's insane," Garrus added. "Clearly doesn't care about civilian casualties and seems to take joy in what he does. Not someone you can easily talk down."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were talking about Jack," Jacob said half-jokingly.

"I'll make sure to mention that the next time she's in a really bad mood."

"We don't know why he targeted Oriana though," Jacob went on, rubbing the back of his neck. "Seems like he went to a whole lot of trouble just for one person."

"And he changed his name," the turian added.

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Of course, Garrus, because the fact that he changed his name is of _vital_ importance in knowing how to stop him."

"You never know, Shepard. Names can be significant. Look what happened with Dr. Saleon. I mean, unless being dead made you forget that."

"I didn't forget it, it just didn't cross my mind," Shepard replied. For the sake of Jacob, who was clearly lost, he moved on. "What is important is the fact that fighting him presents a very real threat to us. Mordin found some type of virus in a sample of his blood that's apparently highly contagious and extremely lethal in all species."

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, he sent a message to my log."

"And mine," Garrus added.

"I asked him to look into possible ways of defending against possible infection. If there's a cure or a way to prevent it from taking hold in case anyone's exposed to it, he'll find it." Shepard eyes his two teammates. "Until that time, everyone uses full body protection to minimize the risk."

"So lemme get this right," Jacob said. "By injuring him and trying to kill him, we put ourselves at risk of death." He shook his head. "Damn, that's... screwed up."

"That's putting it lightly." Garrus turned to the commander. "I guess there's no way to just wait and hope he develops some type of incurable cancer that kills him without bloodshed... is there?"

"'Fraid not."

"Hmph, figures. At the rate we're going, the Reapers will be lucky if there's a galaxy left to harvest by the time they show up."

"Maybe, maybe not. It's irrelevant now," Shepard declared. "Stopping him is our number one priority."

"I thought staying alive was our top priority." Garrus' mandibles twitched. "Or are you going to give us another 'this mission is more important than all our lives' speech? Because I really don't think you could top the last few you made."

"Until the Reapers show up and he makes another one to shame the rest of the galaxy into unifying," Jacob replied.

"As much as I appreciate your confidence in my verbal skills," Shepard cut in, "we have a more important issue to deal with. We need every advantage we can by the time we reach the Citadel. Jacob, make sure every weapon we have is checked and ready to go. And I mean _every_ weapon."

Jacob saluted. "Aye, aye, commander."

"Garrus, I don't know what you're always calibrating in the Forward Batteries, but whatever it is make sure we can use it if we need to at a moment's notice."

Garrus nodded. "No problem."

"Alright. Until we reach the Citadel, you know what to do. Stand by for any additional orders." Shepard nodded his head. "Dismissed."

Garrus and Jacob turned away and began walking towards the door. As Shepard turned back to his own console, he heard Garrus say, "You notice anything strange about the way Wesker talks?"

"Yeah," the black man replied. "Something about his voice. I'd almost say I've heard it before, but I have no idea where."

There was a slight chuckle in the turian's voice. "Funny. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he sounds somewhat like Miranda..."

The door slid shut behind them. At the console, Shepard closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

Somehow he doubted this little trip to the Citadel would be as easy as he hoped it would be.

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback!**

**In case there are any NCIS fans reading this, you should know I'm currently writing an NCIS story based on ME2 called 'Even If This Costs Us Our Lives'. It's the sequel to my story 'Hellstorm' and is part of a bad-ass trilogy I'm writing. Feel free to check out both stories and give me your thoughts!**

**FYI, this story WILL be completed despite the pending arrival of ME3. It may take time, but it will be finished!**

**Please review!**


	25. For Whom the Bell Tolls

**For Whom the Bell Tolls.**

"_Go, go, GO!" Shepard whipped back around to fire at some more husks, dropping them to the ground._

_Miranda ripped apart an indoctrinated turian with a vicious warp. A hailstorm of gunfire followed from their pursuers. She brought up a barricade, shielding the two of them from the rounds. "Shepard!"_

"_We have to get to the elevator!" Shepard threw a grenade into another pack of husks, blowing them into tiny bits of flaming organic material. "It's the only way to get to the Presidium! We have to get to the Reaper before it tears this entire station apart!"_

_She gathered all her biotic strength in the barrier and shoved it towards their attackers, sending them flying through the air. "Go! I'm right behind you!"_

_The two of them sprinted through the hallway, ignoring the fires, rubble and bodies that littered the floor. Three times a new pair of enemies tried to flank them, and three times they were put down quickly and viciously._

"_There!" Miranda pointed right ahead of them. The elevator leading to the Presidium stood just a few feet away._

"_Go!" Shepard shouted, smashing his rifle butt into the decaying skull of a husk. The duo made a break for it, just as another pack appeared behind them. Miranda could feel her heart pounding in her chest, echoing almost as loudly as her footsteps against the floor._

_Shepard came to an abrupt halt in front of the elevator, pounding furiously on the console. Miranda threw the last of her grenades at the husk group, incinerating them on the spot._

"_Come on!" Shepard was saying. "It's through here! We're almost at the-"_

_The elevator door slid open. As Miranda prepared to enter, she took one step and then froze upon observing the maniacal face of the sole occupant of the small space._

_Wesker._

"_You!" Shepard came to a dead halt in pure shock. "But you were-"_

_Their new companion unflinchingly lifted his hand, revealing the locked and loaded Carnifex pistol. He pointed it directly towards the commander's head and pulled the trigger. Shepard's head exploded in a mess of red, snapping backwards as his weighted armour dragged him down. He fell against the floor and lay still, a pool of red spreading around his head._

_Wesker's grin grew wider. "'**Dead?**'"_

_Miranda found herself rooted to the spot, unable to move or act no matter how much her instincts told her to. She stared down at Shepard's body in horror, gazing into the cold dead eyes of the man she had followed into hell itself- and fallen in love with._

"_You..." She looked up into the killer's face. "You killed him!"_

"_**Did** I?" Wesker asked questioningly. "Are you sure?"_

"_You son of a-"_

"_Don't go blaming me for this one, Miri." As Miranda flinched at the use of the nickname, Wesker held up his hands- his empty hands. "My hands are clean on this one. **Are yours?**"_

_At once, Miranda found herself looking downwards. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw clasped in her right hand was a Carnifex pistol. _

_The same pistol use to kill Shepard just a moment ago..._

"_No..."_

"_Miranda..." Her eyes shifted at the familiar voice. At once, Shepard's dead, solid white eyes staring up at her. Accusing her. "I loved you. Why did you kill me?"_

"_No..." Miranda tossed the weapon away and found herself backing up as fast as she could, not caring the slightest to what was behind her._

"_All this time, I thought you'd changed. All this time, I thought there was an actual human being inside you. But there isn't, is there?"_

_Miranda opened her mouth, but no words came out of it._

"_All there is... is a monster."_

_Wesker's smile intensified. "Just. Like. **Me**."_

_Miranda's back hit up against something. As it did, the entire scene before her disappeared, leaving her in complete darkness. No sights, no sounds of battle, nothing but complete dark emptiness all around her._

_Then the blackness in front of her shifted. There was a crackling sound and snippets of white flashed in front of her, almost as if she was staring at a large malfunctioning screen. This continued for several seconds before coming to an abrupt end. For a second, there was complete silence._

_**DONG**_. _The sound of a single gong strike echoed throughout the area. A large white number appeared in front of her. _

**12**

_Black and white images flashed in front of her eyes._

Tali backing away from something, holding her shotgun out in front of her.

Wesker's maniacal grin.

Wesker viciously kicking Tali in the chest.

Wesker throwing Tali with his biotics across the room.

A sadistic smirk.

Wesker slamming Tali's knife through her faceplate.

His maniacal laughing.

Tali lying motionless on the floor, blood spreading all around her head.

_**DONG**_. _Another gong._

_Another number._

**11**

Wesker holding up card, engulfing it in biotic power.

Jacob throwing up a barrier.

Wesker landing a series of vicious blows to Jacob's body.

Wesker biotically slamming Jacob to the floor.

Jacob's face grimacing in pain.

A piece of steel slamming against Jacob's head.

Wesker slashing his claws against Jacob's throat.

_**DONG**_.

**10**

Samara gliding down from a balcony to the ground.

Wesker in a ready-to-pounce position.

A clash of biotic powers.

Wesker absorbing Samara's attacks with ease.

A vicious series of strikes.

Warps.

Throws.

Cards surrounded in biotics.

He pulls her towards him. She floats helplessly, struggling in mid-air.

An open palm strike knocks through the glass out the window.

**_DONG_**.

**9**

Garrus looking around with his sniper rifle.

Wesker hitting him from behind with a biotic charge like a dreadnought.

Wesker throwing him violently against a wall.

A series of violent melee strikes.

Wesker lifting Garrus up with his biotics, dangles him in the air for a moment, then slamming him hard off the balcony.

He lands on a sharp metal spike which pierces him through the chest and goes limp.

_**DONG.**_

**8**

Mordin lifting up and aims his Tempest in front of him.

Wesker giving a sadistic smile.

Wesker using his hands to throw Mordin like a rag doll.

Wesker using his biotics to slam Mordin into every wall imaginable.

Mordin hanging helplessly in mid-air.

Wesker using his omni-tool to overload Mordin's, igniting the salarian into flames.

Wesker laughing as Mordin's body burns, hanging in the air.

_**DONG.**_

**7**

Legion's flaps moving in confusion.

Wesker holding up an ace of spades.

Wesker slamming, punching and kicking Legion with the strength of ten krogan.

Legion flying around the room.

The biotically charged card blowing up in the geth's face.

Wesker pressing his omni-tool against Legion's chest. Electricity surrounds it as its circuits overload.

Wesker grinning.

Legion lying on the ground, its optical receptor flickering and dying.

_**DONG.**_

**6**

Jack's lips curling into a feral snarl. Her biotics surrounding her fists.

Her sending every type of biotic attack imaginable at Wesker.

Wesker blocking or absorbing every one of them.

Him sending them right back her with ten times the power.

Jack being slammed from left to right by her own attacks.

Wesker bringing down a massive slab of rock down on top of her, crushing her instantly.

Wesker blowing up the rock, and Jack with it, with a jack of clubs.

_**DONG.**_

**5**

Thane drops down into a fighting stance.

Thane and Wesker trading martial arts blows.

Wesker getting the upper hand.

Thane trying to resort to biotics.

Wesker deflecting them easily.

Wesker lifting Thane above his head with his bare hands and bringing him down brutally across his knee.

Breaking the drell's spine.

Wesker laughing.

Thane lying on the ground motionless.

_**DONG.**_

**4**

Grunt growling and preparing to charge.

Wesker preparing to meet him head on.

Wesker taking Grunt's charge, stopping the krogan dead in his tracks.

Wesker turning and throwing Grunt with his bare hands across the room.

The two slamming their fists together.

Grunt roaring in pain.

Wesker gives a massive biotic punch to the back of Grunt's neck, dropping him on the spot.

_**DONG.**_

**3**

Wesker brutally clawing and striking another man whose face is obscured.

Wesker slamming the man from wall to ceiling to ground.

Wesker lifting him up, revealing his face.

Kaidan Alenko.

Wesker shatters a window with his biotics and sends the shards directly at him.

Shredding his face.

Slicing his throat.

Wesker smirking.

_**DONG.**_

**2**

Liara T'soni bringing up a biotic shield, a look a determination on her face.

Wesker stalking her like a wild cat.

Her Warp is countered with one of his own, right in her face. She is knocked flat onto the ground.

Wesker slamming into her with a biotic charge, sending her flying.

Wesker tilting his head.

Wesker ripping open Liara's throat from behind.

Her falling face first onto the floor, eyes open in a dead stare as blue blood pools around her.

_**DONG.**_

**1**

Wesker grinning maniacally.

Wesker throwing a joker card at Shepard, dropping him on the spot.

Wesker unleashing a vicious melee assault on Shepard.

Wesker holding a struggling Shepard up with one hand, reaching up and grasping his head with the other.

He snaps Shepard's neck like a twig.

_The numbers flash in reverse before her once again, much faster. Random images of the attacks mix in with them._

**12**

**11**

**10**

**9**

**8**

**7**

**6**

**5**

**4**

**3**

**2**

**1**

_A new number._

**0**

_It morphs into a letter._

**O**

_More letters form around it. They form a word._

**LAWSON**

_Wesker's voice surrounds her..._

"_Miranda Lawson... Come and join the party!" Psychotic laughter soon follows._

_A sign appears in front of her. _

_**Citadel Embassies.**_

_It morphs and changes._

_**Wesker's Funhouse.**_

_The scene crackles in front of her. More insane laughter mixes with it._

_And then, darkness..._

* * *

Miranda's eyes snapped open.

She was vaguely aware of sights and sounds around her. They didn't matter to her. Only one thing was on her mind.

The _Citadel_.

**A/N: Please review and give me feedback!**

**So about ME3... For the first 99% of it, I'd say it was the greatest of the trilogy and one of the best games I'd ever played. And then the ending came...**

**That's right. Ending- no plural. One. Not the multiple ones we all anticipated. Seriously Bioware? I think you forgot to put in a Paragon/Renegade dialogue option** **in the final 'choice'. Why leave us with so many unanswered questions?**

**If this is all part of their plan to release a new ending on DLC or something, that's pretty screwed. Especially since I don't (right now at least) have Xbox Live, meaning any new endings they put on a DLC I'll be reduced to watching on YouTube. I don't how anyone else here feels, but that's really disappointing to me.**

**On the plus note, if ME3 did anything, it convinced me to trim and shorten the length of this story a bit. Don't worry, the quality won't suffer, but I feel I need to move it along.**

**Please see my profile for an important update.**

**Once again, feel free to drop me a review!**


	26. A Word From Our Sponsors

**A Word from Our Sponsors**

"Bailey," Shepard said as he entered Docking Bay D-24 with the rest of the squad in tow. The normal bay where the Normandy docked had been rocked by explosions and severely damaged, taking several parked ships with it; Joker had been directed to another more secure port that was so-far untouched.

"Shepard," Bailey replied, shaking the commander's hand with his free one; the other held a Paladin pistol at his side. "I heard you were coming. Damn glad to finally have some backup."

"I'm just glad you're still alive. From the way things looked, it looked like a lot of damage was done."

Bailey chuckled. "You could say that. Five major areas of the Citadel in flames. At least twenty dead C-Sec agents. Stopped counting the number of civilian casualties after a hundred fifty-seven. And that's just the ones we know about. Other than that, just a typical day at the office. I was going to lead a team to try and track down the attacker when I got word from the Council to hold back. Guess I know who pulled that string now."

"We know who the attacker is, Bailey," Garrus interjected. "Trust me; Shepard here saved your life and a lot of others by doing so."

"I'll have to take your word on that." The C-Sec captain cast his eyes downward. "We're getting a lot of comm chatter. None of it good. People are still dying by the dozens all over the station."

"We'll put an end to it soon," Shepard said firmly. "What's the situation?"

Bailey motioned with his head and led the team through the security scanners. As they walked on through, a loud alarm and flashing red lights suddenly filled the entire area as the scanners picked up the mass of weapons carried by the squad and a pair of heavy security doors dropped down on either side, preventing them from moving forward or backward. Outside, they could see several startled people gathered around a flickering screen look over in surprise. Grunt and Jack seemed ready to smash their fists through either of the doors until Bailey intervened. "Bailey. Deactivate," he said into his Omni-tool.

The wailing and flashing abruptly halted, and the doors slowly raised back up. Bailey gave a heavy sigh. "Sergeant, remind me to put in a request for the scanner to be moved back closer to the security station and away from the waiting area."

"_Yes, sir."_

"Impressive security system. Built to detect all known types of weapons, rapid reaction time," Mordin rattled off. "Curious as to how such a severe security breach could occur."

"It's just this dock. This isn't station-wide security; we haven't had a chance to put similar ones in the rest of the ports," Bailey replied, leading them through and coming to a stop just on the other side. "Never thought we needed them so soon. One minute I'm filing reports on illegal protestors, the next I'm up against the wall lying among rubble in what used to be my station. If you've got any ideas as to how to pacify this situation, I'm all ears."

"Why don't you fill us in on what you know is happening here right now first?" Garrus requested.

"A goddamn mess is what's happening. Reports are coming in of attacks on civilians all over the Citadel; apparently someone opened up all the cells in C-Sec and released all the prisoners. With C-Sec in disarray, there's no one to stop them. We've locked down all the docks to prevent them from escaping the station but that's not stopping them from causing death and destruction everywhere they go."

"How many prisoners were there in C-Sec?" Shepard asked.

"Five hundred and fifty three- all currently unaccounted for."

"What kinds of prisoners?"

"Every kind you think of; con artists, smugglers, murderers, gang members, terrorists... And that's just the lower security wing."

Jacob shook his head. "Damn."

"I sent my most trusted agents to coordinate a counter-offensive in the Presidium where most of the escapees seem to be headed. I was going to join up with them to determine what the best strategy would be, but we were distracted by a major hostage situation."

"What kind of hostage situation?" Garrus asked.

"Javel Bat'hon, batarian extremist who killed six humans including two Alliance soldiers last week. He and a bunch of his friends are holed up somewhere near the Presidium. In their brief vid transmission, they appear to have several hostages, including Emily Wong."

"The reporter?" Shepard said. "She's still alive?"

"For the moment. She looked a little banged up and more than a little shaken, but she and the rest of the hostages seem to be alive for the time being. Bat'hon's making the usual demands; that we allow them to leave the station, get rid of all humans in C-Sec, blah blah blah. What concerns me is what he'll do in the meantime with those hostages. He's a vicious bastard; cut the talon off a turian hostage on-camera and said every hour that passes without their conditions being met will mean a body part will be cut off of each hostage. If he believes we're planning a rescue mission of any kind, he'll decapitate Miss Wong live on the Extranet."

"Then it's settled," Shepard replied firmly. "Our first priority is securing the safety of the hostages. Everything else can come afterwards."

"That's a mighty big risk you're taking, Shepard," Bailey declared. "They see you coming-"

"They won't. And anyway, they talked about you planning a rescue mission, not us."

"I really doubt they'd care to make the distinction. But I'll trust your judgement."

"Aw shit, c'mon Shepard!" Jack growled. "The last time we went after this guy, he got away because of sentimental crap like this. I say fuck the hostages; let's find the asshole and put him down once and for all!"

"For once Shepard, she's right."

Everyone turned at the new voice from behind them. Shepard was somewhat surprised to see Miranda, fully-clad and armed, striding swiftly towards them. "Miranda-"

"Where is he?" There was no warmth or friendliness in her tone.

"Miranda, are you sure you should-"

"_Don't_ try to stop me, Shepard."

"But don't you think you're-"

"I'm fine," she abruptly cut him off. There was no room for debate or argument in her voice. Shepard's mouth tightened but didn't push further. Miranda was clearly in no mood to do so and there just wasn't time right now. _Later,_ he thought, _would be a different story._

Jack, however, had no trouble making her opinions known. "You know everything's going to hell when the cheerleader has a stick up her huge ass again," she sneered. Miranda pointedly ignored her.

"I hope you're ready," Bailey said. "Attacks are happening all over the station. It's impossible to track any one person with this kind of chaos."

"I'll find him," Miranda said curtly.

Shepard looked at her. "You mean _we'll_ find him," he corrected more than just a little pointedly.

The tone didn't change, but the ex-Cerberus officer's expression turned even colder than it had been. "Of course… _commander_." Shepard didn't miss her use of his formal title.

"Do you have any leads on where he might be?" Garrus asked.

"Hard to say. We're getting possible sightings all over the Citadel. Nothing concrete so far, but if we keep trying we might be able to-"

_Crrrrkkk….. crrrk, crrrk._

A crackling sound from behind them abruptly cut Bailey off. Looking back, Shepard saw a crowd of people all moving towards the main screen mounted on the wall, which had dissolved into white noise. Furrowing his brow, he moved back through the security scanner and stood on the edge of the walkway, watching. The others moved to join him.

The picture crackled, went dark for a moment and then faded back in. The figure of man standing in the shadows with his back turned appeared. At the same time, a slow harmonic chant, almost church-like, filled the room.

"_In the beginning,"_ the man started, just audible over the chant, _"darkness moved across the face of the deep. And God said… 'Let there be light'… and there was light. And God saw the light and that it was good. He separated the light from the darkness. He called the light Day… and the darkness Night."_

The man abruptly turned around as the chanting came to a halt. Light washed over him, illuminating his large grin. _"And it was just so bloody boring!"_

Shepard felt Miranda stiffen and tense at his side. He resisted the urge to look at her and kept his focus on the screen.

"_Good day, Citadelites! This is your friendly neighbourhood Wesker with a breaking update on what's going on here on the galaxy's most famous station! As you can see, Emily Wong will not be joining us tonight. In fact," _he consulted his Omni-tool, _"Ooh! I'd say her future screen time is about to be significantly __**cut**__! Oh, I know what you're all wondering. 'How is this happening? Can I get in on the action? Ooh, I want answers, damn it! NOW!'_

"_Well, see here's the thing: answers aren't always what you expect them to be. Sometimes, you have to brace yourself to be disappointed. No seriously- think about it."_ He began to pace in a circle, articulating each point with his hands. _"Imagine your favourite gaming series. You've been through it right to the end; the ups, the downs, the gut-wrenching decisions, the incredible cut scenes. You've invested years and countless hours into making it to this one point. And them BAM!" _He whirled back around to face the camera. _"They show you what it's all about… And you're left with so many questions. 'Am I really satisfied? Does this make sense? How come it all ended with a choice of **colour**?' You people need to know only one thing."_ He leaned in close. _"I'm here, I'm real, and I'm __**not going anywhere.**__"_

He leaned back. _"Now for those of you watching who have been newly-freed from the comforts of your C-Sec cells, I have a special message for you: arm yourselves, my fiendish friends- we have a galactic station to destroy. No hostages, no surrender! Just you, me and a whole lot of burning, twisted metal. Oh, I know you're scared of the low survival odds… though personally, I enjoy a good suicide mission… but just remember one thing."_

He leaned forward and put his hand to the side of his mouth, murmuring as if telling a secret. _"Whatever happens, I'll be __**right**__ behind you…"_

The screen abruptly turned to static.

"Yeah," Jacob snorted. "About ten miles behind."

"Guy loves to talk," Bailey said. "Maybe a little too much. Maybe he figured no one was watching who knows the Citadel like the back of my hand."

"You know the place he was broadcasting from?" Shepard asked.

"Yeah- C-Sec Headquarters. It's the only place on the station that can broadcast all over the Citadel at once that quickly." A forlorn look came over his face. "'Course, if he's there, it's likely everyone else is dead."

"We'll see about that. In the meantime, we need to coordinate a strategy."

"You mean splitting up again? Shepard, look at how that turned out the last time," Tali interjected.

"I don't like it any more than you, but what choice do we have?" Shepard cast a look over his team. "We'll avoid spreading ourselves too thin. Garrus, you take half the squad to Presidium and rescue the hostages. Deal with Bat'hon by any means necessary."

"With pleasure," Garrus replied with conviction, pulling out his Mantis sniper rifle.

"I'll take the other half to C-Sec HQ and try to locate Wesker. Bailey, see if you can get any extra help from C-Sec to secure as much of the station as possible."

"I'm not dead or paralyzed. I can help you," the C-Sec captain replied rather gruffly, holding up his pistol.

"I know you can, but after that message, people will panic," Shepard responded. "You'll be needed here to keep order."

"Kinda late for that, don't yah think?"

"And it's going to get worse if you're not here to take care of it. The Citadel needs you, Bailey. The people need you."

Bailey gave a heavy sigh. "Yeah, okay. You're right." He activated his Omni-tool. "I'll give you the codes to the main office anyway. They're impossible to change, so that's one thing he can't do. If it'll help, I'll consider it my contribution."

"Noted," Shepard said, receiving the information. "Alright, let's get some shuttles and get over there. Grunt, Jack, Thane and Mordin- you're all coming with me. The rest of you are with Garrus. Miranda, you're running back-up to Garrus. Got any suggestions how to deal with the hostage situation?"

No answer. Shepard turned around to where his XO had been standing just moments earlier. "Mirand-?"

The commander stopped in mid-sentence. The words lingering on his tongue evaporated into thin air for the sole reason that they were not needed; the space beside him was empty.

Miranda was gone.

"What the- where'd she go?" Jacob asked.

Shepard swore under his breath. "Shit."

"Commander?"

"She's gone after Wesker."

**A/N: I'm BACK! Grad school is REALLY busy! I've got quite a few things to say, so I'll say them in brief:**

**1) I got Xbox Live and got to enjoy it for about a month before leaving. Zaeed, Kasumi and Javik are great characters!**

**2) Anyone notice the reference towards ME3's ending I put in?**

**3) Not sure when the next update will come, but those of you keeping up, thanks a lot!**

**4) Please REVIEW! I love feedback!**


End file.
